England's failure

At a time like this when we have just been knocked out of the World Cup it is easy to think all of the worst things about English rugby. However, I always try to look on the bright side.

For the last 8 years English rugby really has stood still while the rest of the World has moved on so much. We won in 2003 at a time when we happened to have a good squad and the rugby in the other key nations was at a bit of a low. Since then there have been very few highs.

In 2007 we were frankly embarrassing but somehow got to the final so all was well with English rugby. This just papered over the cracks. If we had got further this time the same would have been true. So at least English rugby will have to ask itself some hard questions: why do we always assume that someone who was good in one role (Martin Johnson) is up to a completely different job? He was an inspirational captain but wouldn't recognise strategy if it landed on his nose. How can we make sure that the season in the Northern hemisphere is better structured? Where else in the World would you switch from one competition to another from week to week? Why do our clubs seem so keen to pay over the hill players from the Southern hemisphere so much rather than develop new talent? Why on earth do we keep picking Jonny Wilkinson just because he was the best player 8 years ago?

I really do hope that Wales now go all the way. If there had been a World Cup in the 1970s they would have surely won!!!

Why am I always too busy to blog?

When I made my first venture into blogging earlier in the year I was full of good intentions and was going to try to blog every day. Somehow this didn't happen and I now blog less often than I go to the gym!!!

I suspect that this is an example of something that always happens when we start something new. We are full of enthusiasm in the first few weeks and then the novelty of whatever it is just starts to wear off. My experience of blogging has been a bit like that.

Mind you that might not be a bad thing because I don't feel that I have really had anything much to say - and many of my readers (if there are any!!!) will probably say that this post is proof of that. Blogging is really great in principle and I do like the idea that anyone can have their say on anything. I just haven't read many blogs where the blogger actually has anything to say that is worth listening to. Perhaps I should blog daily - even if some of the posts are nothing more than a blank post!!!!