As an Englishman I was very disappointed along with millions of others at how dismally our rugby union team performed at the World Cup in New Zealand. It was typical of many England performances over the last few years, boring, predictable and unimaginative.

A team without leaders, playing with fear and showing an appalling lack of discipline – both on and off the field, unfortunately. Play hard boys by all  means, but after you’ve won the trophy, not before. Common sense really.

The British Isles’ sole survivors in the competition,Wales, have shown themselves to be everything that England are not, skilfull, fearless, imaginative, intelligent and not afraid to give youth its head and with spectacular results. I truly hope that they can go all the way and bring the trophy back home with them.

I’m sure the whole of England wishes them well just as Wales and their cousins north of the border have always done whenever England have reached the last stages of the competition. Crikey, was that a winged porcine creature that I just saw shooting past my window?!