Well thank goodness that's over. If we'd gone on any longer England would be losing a relegation decider with Georgia. I jest of course, but this has been a chastening couple of months for the hubristic element in England's fan base. Once the initial disappointment has evaporated (could take a while) this may be no bad thing.
Ireland are a deeply impressive unit, a formidable alliance of passion and efficiency. Gordon D'Arcy (the most acute of the television pundits) got it spot on when he observed how they controlled the tempo of the game in order to dissipate any difficult English passion. Only towards the end of the match (by which time the outcome was certain) did England locate any oomph - as good a word as I can find for England's missing element. They next face three tests in South Africa against a rugby-mad nation on a rescue mission - no small task. Oh well, that's why they get the big money.
France are on the way back but their domestic season is even more ruinously exhausting than England's. They also desperately need a reliable fly-half. Wales still look marginally less than the considerable sum of their parts. Scotland almost conspired to lose in Italy but Gregor Townsend has them playing a good brand of rugby. The Six Nations as a whole manifests a strength-in-depth long absent. You can construct a case for any of Ireland, France, Wales or England winning the next World Cup but not a favourite's chance. That chance still resides in New Zealand.
All in all a good year, particularly if you're Irish - which I am by marriage, so I'm clutching at that straw to keep me happy.
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