Lawrence Dallaglio makes the grade for Shaun Edwards © Getty Images

Wasps coach Shaun Edwards reviews the last 10 years and selects his dream team of top players and bloody good blokes in The Guardian.

"Time for some fun. We could be talking about how the breakdown is getting mucky again or who goes into 2011 as Heineken Cup favourites.

"But instead why don't we pick a team who show off the best of the past 10 years? To qualify a player has to have been around for the bulk of that decade, been valuable to both his club and his country and, finally, that he's a good bloke. It's a team I'd not only like to coach but be more than happy to be with socially."

Hugh Farelly serves up his end-of-year awards following a mixed time for Irish rugby in The Irish Independent.

"It's a tradition as old as the game itself, the end of season awards, and this year is a little tougher than 2009 when Irish rugby swept all before it.

"A hit-and-miss Six Nations was followed by a challenging, injury-ravaged summer tour that produced no victories but did flag the potential of younger players just over a year out from the World Cup."

Chris Hewett recounts his moment of 2010 in The Independent - step forward Brendan Venter and his biscuits.

"It started, comically enough, with a biscuit: not any old biscuit, mark you, but a rather superior chocolate concoction, generously provided by the Rugby Football Union's disciplinary department. By consuming this item at the wrong moment - that is to say, while being informed of his punishment for behaving provocatively towards a group of Leicester supporters during a highly-charged Premiership match at Welford Road - the Saracens boss Brendan Venter pushed both the governing body and his own luck just a little too far.

"The RFU, acutely sensitive to breaches of the sport's “core values” after the fake blood affair at Harlequins and the drugs-related scandals at Bath, threw the book at him, barring the South African from Twickenham and its environs on Premiership Grand Final afternoon as part of a 14-week match-day coaching ban. If this penalty was wildly excessive, bordering on the vindictive, it undeniably added a certain frisson to the showpiece event of last season's domestic campaign."

Chris Rattue dusts off the crystal ball and lays down some predictions for the next 12 months in The New Zealand Herald.

"And so the countdown begins. Rugby, rugby, rugby. But before we get to THE World Cup, there's the matter of a few other World Cups and bits and bobs in between. With crystal ball in hand, over to the 2011 sporting year..."

Southland's Ranfurly Shield run struck a chord with many © Getty Images

Nathan Burdon reviews his favourite rugby moment of the year - Southland's Ranfurly Shield defence against Otago - on stuff.co.nz.

"Southland's Ranfurly Shield defence against Otago on August 7 was one for the ages.

"Not an attractive game, not one they will use in fancy marketing campaigns of the future, but one that will live long in the memory. Perhaps it was the anticipation.

"Once the initial euphoria of winning the Shield off Canterbury in 2009 had simmered down and thoughts turned to the next season, there was only ever going to be one game."

Peter Bills weighs in with more on the current state of international refereeing in The Irish Independent.

"A thoroughly positive story with which to end the old year and send us racing into World Cup year. The IRB have decided to put an end to the process of Buggins' turn, which has made the world of refereeing so alarmingly unpredictable.

"In 2011, we will see an elite group emerge among world rugby's officials. The tradition has been to spread the load, to give as many referees as possible exposure on the highest stages, like the Tri Nations and the Six Nations. But the results of this have been too erratic. The mistakes made by officials such as Mark Lawrence of South Africa this year have been so glaring, that they have had an influence on the outcome of Test matches."

Munster have come under pressure in the Heineken Cup and Magners League but remain a force © Getty Images

Writing in the Irish Independent David Kelly delivers his verdict on the fall out from Munster's Magners League win over Connacht.

"Crisis? What crisis? Munster ease seven points clear in the Magners League after beating Connacht but still the microscopic lights arrow in with all the intensity of a police grilling.

"A crisis!" laughed Tony McGahan, presumably still privately seething at the outbreak of farce that attached itself to his players' Christmas festivities with the worst possible timing.

It is clear that a defeat in Galway would have heaped more pressure on the coaching staff. "Look," said McGahan when asked whether the media coverage of his side's partying was the best preparation for this encounter, "we came back off a defeat against the Ospreys, so it was really important we got a result against a side who've proved very difficult in all the derby matches. That was our priority."

Yet still Munster came under the spotlight for their alleged gamesmanship during the final scrums when Connacht sensed a penalty try against a back-pedalling scrum; a canny substitution as a battalion of Munster backroom staff hurried to the scene left Connacht coach Eric Elwood in little doubt that shenanigans were afoot.

McGahan protested his innocence when he twice offered to display the hapless Dave Ryan's injury for all to see. It all smacks of a team under pressure, compounded by Alan Quinlannow joining back-rowers Peter O'Mahony and James Coughlan on the injury list as a crucial January hovers into view.

But then, the beginning of the new year is the business end for hardened outfits like Munster; soon, their dithery December may seem like a distant memory should they negotiate a safe passage to the Heineken Cup quarter-finals for a 13th successive season."

In the Daily Telegraph, London Irish lock Nick Kennedy runs through the highlights of his year.

"Try of the year has to be Chris Ashton’s try against Australia at Twickenham. The build up showed great courage for Ben Youngs to run the ball from his own line and the pace Ashton displayed to finish a move from 90m out was extremely special at Test match level. My try against Harlequins from the halfway line comes a close second.

Team of the year: Exeter have had a fantastic 2010. The way in which they won the league and then progressed on to be a force to be reckoned with in the Premiership makes them worthy recipients.

Moment of the year: England’s away win against Australia. Closely followed by Bob Casey’s pass to set up my try against Harlequins.

Player of the year: Soane Tonga’uiha. Although it may be hard to believe, Soane has got better as the year has gone on. His work rate is second to none in the front row and he has added a consistent attacking scrummaging threat to his game.

I don’t know anyone his size in world rugby that has his offloading ability and he scores more tries than most backs."

Rob Wildman in the Daily Mail reports that Jonny Wilkinson could be one in a long line of international stars to be targeted by French side Toulon.

"Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal has promised further big-name signings to follow the decision of Jonny Wilkinson to stay at the French club.

'We are in contact with some of the biggest names on earth. Some will come,’ he said after Wilkinson agreed a new two-year deal, adding: ‘Jonny is more a man of Toulon than anybody else.’

Toulon are chasing flanker Rocky Elsom, who helped Leinster to the Heineken Cup
title in 2009, to replace former Wallaby colleague George Smith who has not settled and has reportedly agreed to join Japanese club Sanyo Wild Knights next summer.

Other names being linked to Toulon are Sale’s Andrew Sheridan and Wales wing Shane Williams."

Andy Robinson may not have worked miracles for Scotland but they have improved under his stewardship © Getty Images

David Ferguson assesses Scotland's year under head coach Andy Robinson in The Scotsman with the Six Nations games against Wales in Cardiff and Ireland in Dublin standing out.

"This was the first full year with Andy Robinson and his coaching team at the helm of the Scotland national side and 2010 proved the Englishman to be an experienced, astute and highly promising head coach, but patently not the Messiah.

Scotland essentially had the good luck to have Robinson in the country after he had taken on the Edinburgh post in an effort to return to the game away from England, and leading his side to another of those great against-the-odds Murrayfield wins, against Australia in 2009, which marked a first beating of the Wallabies in 27 years, helped ease him into the new role and the public consciousness...

There was little to remember other than the games in Cardiff and Dublin, but those memories make the Six Nations what it is. They also showed that Robinson could not bring to Scotland the magic one might associate with the Messiah, but thankfully neither did he prove to be a naughty boy in the style of the winless Matt Williams; merely, a coach feeling his way with a new squad, but with a belief that started to filter through in 2010."

In The Scotsman, Bill Lothian delivers his verdict on Edingburgh's game against Glasgow at Firhill.

"In the build-up to the first leg of the annual double-header with Glasgow an Edinburgh Rugby player compared the team's specially designed strip-of-many-colours to a packet of Opal Fruits. Wrong. Opal Fruits leave a pleasant taste whereas Edinburgh's performance in a 30-18 defeat by Glasgow at Firhill left a sensation equivalent to an oral rinse using soap powder.

For the first time in 14 matches this season Edinburgh failed to score a try but would that is where woes begin and end. Alas, it is now over 240 minutes since Edinburgh actually managed a touchdown in meetings with their supposed arch-rivals (all lost) but again let's keep things in perspective.

For 61 minutes the boot of David Blair kept Edinburgh in touch to the extent that the stand off went within one of equalling Chris Paterson's six-year-old record of seven penalties in a league fixture but that was the merest of sub-plots in the greater of scheme of things.

And the bigger picture? Glasgow came from 13-18 behind in the final 19 minutes which was bad enough but it could have been so, so different and that is what must have really stung travelling supporters in a crowd of 7062 as they journeyed back along a foggy and frozen M8."

Writing in the Irish Independent, Ruaidhri O'Connor praises the impact of backrow Sean O'Brien after another eye-catching performance for Leinster.

"The inspirational Sean O'Brien scored two tries as Leinster pillaged Ravenhill to go fourth in the Magners League and enter the New Year in pristine condition.

Although their Heineken Cup condition looks healthy, Ulster were left reeling from a stunning display by the visiting side that left huge question marks over the performance of their South African imports against a Leinster side shorn of 10 frontline players.

O'Brien and back-row colleagues Dominic Ryan and Rhys Ruddock gave a barnstorming performance in Belfast, as Joe Schmidt's side squeezed Brian McLaughlin's men in every department.

Leinster's only regret was that they didn't pick up a bonus point in their 30-13 win."

David Barnes - mad man © Getty Images

David Flatman talks up the worth of characters among a playing squad in his column for The Independent on Sunday.

"It is that time of year again. A time to relax, appreciate all that we have and reflect on the events that led us to this point of festive bliss. At Christmas – and only at Christmas – do we seem able to recall the year's less pleasant periods and, instead of rueing them, dismiss them with a roll of the eyeballs and wash them away with another swig of mulled wine. It is a time to remember and forgive.

"One creature, however, that I seem to be having great difficulty forgiving is the stork who, 37 years ago, delivered a tightly packed bundle to the door of two joyous new parents. In this bundle – already filthy with mud and smelling of dog biscuits – was wrapped David Barnes. Science tells us we are all unique but this cuddly tot, despite never actually developing the full head of hair for which his parents prayed, grew to become perhaps English rugby's most unique character."

Allan Massie calls for more interest in the Borders from Edinburgh in The Scotsman.

"Actually, it would be a good idea if Edinburgh were to decide to play a handful of their Magners League (or indeed Heineken) games at Netherdale. The crowd would probably be no smaller than the usual one at Murrayfield, and by playing some games in Galashiels they might persuade more Borderers to make the trip to watch them in Edinburgh. It's not essential to play all your home games on the same ground. Munster, after all, play matches in Cork as well as Limerick. A spot of enterprise would be welcome.

"As for local interest Edinburgh can field almost a complete XV with Border origins or connections. For example: Jim Thompson (Bill McLaren's grandson); Mark Robertson (Melrose), John Houston (Hawick), Nick De Luca (Border Reivers), Lee Jones (Selkirk); Chris Paterson (Gala), Greig Laidlaw (Jedforest); Nicky Little (Hawick) or Robin Hislop (Langholm), Ross Ford (Kelso), Geoff Cross (Galashiels Academy), Scott MacLeod (Hawick), Craig Hamilton (Border Reivers), Scott Newlands (Border Reivers), A.N.Other, Roddy Grant (Border Reivers and Bob Burrell's grandson). There's a No 8 missing, but A.N.Other could be Natani Talei, no less a Borderer than an Edinburgh man. Two other Border backs would still be available for the bench: James King (Melrose) and Gregor Hunter (Gala)."

Hugh Farrelly evaluates Ulster's plight without Stephen Ferris in The Irish Independent.

"We are at the halfway point of the season and it has been a case of so far, so acceptable for Ulster rugby.

'Good' would be stretching it a bit due to the less than convincing nature of the province's performances, but the fact Brian McLaughlin's men have managed to win six and draw one out of nine Magners League matches, as well as securing three wins from four in the Heineken Cup, deserves recognition.

"However, reservations stem from the fact that Pool 4 is made up of new Italian outfit Aironi, a distinctly average Bath team performing with a notable lack of confidence and Biarritz, last season's beaten finalists, but notoriously brittle on the road, as they proved when losing in Aironi."

Gavin Henson will make his long-awaited return to rugby union at Wembley on Boxing Day © Getty Images

Gavin Henson steps out on the rugby stage with his new club Saracens today, writes Paul Rees of The Observer, determined to fulfil his talent and with his sights set on the World Cup with Wales.

"Gavin Henson returns to rugby today after a 21-month absence. He does so, fittingly, not at the rundown Vicarage Road but at Wembley where a crowd of 60,000 is expected to see his new club, Saracens, take on Wasps in the Premiership. Henson likes to be seen.

"There is more than a trace of the central character in Albert Camus's The Outsider, Meursault, about Henson, the Wales and Lions centre: he is not a conformist and he has not a trace of hypocrisy. Meursault refused to lie to save his life and Henson, not least in his autobiography five years ago, has frequently got in trouble for being honest, never dissembling or dodging questions.

"He is a media officer's worst nightmare and Wales only allowed him to give interviews sparingly. When Henson says he is not fearful about making his return today and that he expects to get back into the Wales squad for next year's Six Nations, he is not speaking for effect. It is simply who he is."

Lewis Moody tells Ian Staffard of the Daily Mail that the advice of Jonny Wilkinson has proven invaluable to him over the past six months.

"Lewis Moody would have happily run out on Christmas Day to face Wales in England's Six Nations opener rather than have to wait until February 4, such is his hunger to make amends for what he perceives as the shortcomings of his tenure as captain of his country.

"Sitting in his home in the rolling hills south of Bath, and amid the Christmas chaos engendered by his young family, Moody admits being England captain has taken its toll.

"He has, at times, borne the haunted look of self-doubt and anguish. And he has feared that by taking too much responsibility on his shoulders he has driven himself close to burn-out.

"What saved him, says Moody, was talking to the man who has known only too well the vicissitudes of life as an international sportsman."

Brendan Fanning of the Sunday Independent argues that the impending loss of Ian Keatley to Munster sums up Connacht's current dilemma.

"We are about to witness the long goodbye. Less than three seasons since they went to Connacht, Ian Keatley, Sean Cronin and Fionn Carr have embarked on a lap of honour - starting tomorrow at the Sportsground against Munster -- that will take until early May to complete.

"They are a mixed bunch: Carr has proved he can make an impact in the pro game; Cronin is already doing the same thing in the international arena; and Keatley is somewhere between the two. All are keen to kick on. And Connacht are not sure exactly what the future will look like without them.

"Keatley's case is the most pressing. The emergence of Jonny Sexton three years ago, after two seasons finding his way around Donnybrook, gradually and prematurely closed the debate on Ireland's problems at 10. Then the issue became one of who should be picked -- O'Gara, the master, or Sexton, the impatient pupil -- rather than what would we do if anything happened to O'Gara. Because Sexton quickly became so good people forgot that our depth in this position is puddle stuff.”

Writing in the Sunday Independent, Jim Glennon reveals that there is always more than pride at stake in the festive season's now traditional inter-provincial clashes.

"I sent a text to one of my former charges in Leinster after their outstanding performance last week. I also wished him an enjoyable Christmas. He immediately replied thanking me, but reminding me too that for professional rugby players there is no such thing as Christmas! In Irish interprovincial rugby, this is derby week.

"These Christmas games are not your run-of-the-mill Magners League games, and while they might not reach the pitch of a Heineken Cup game, they are still a level or two above the routine encounters.”

Gavin Henson will return to the rugby pitch at Wembley on Boxing Day © Getty Images

The Telegraph's Mick Cleary assesses Wales centre Gavin Henson's return to rugby with Saracens and finds plenty of support for Saracens new signing.

"Henson has drawn headlines recently for his fake tan, his paso doble, his shimmering outfits and his love life. These activities and peccadilloes are a part of the Henson character, all spangles and bangles. But the essence of the man is his rugby. He is an excellent player, albeit one who has not taken to the field in a competitive match for 20 months. Sunday will be quite a moment, assuming that Henson makes his bow from the substitutes’ bench in the Aviva Premiership fixture.

“Cream always rises to the top and Gavin will soon be back up there where he belongs,” Dick Best, the former Lions and England coach, said. “There might well be one or two botches when he returns because he is ring rusty, but there will also be a couple of things that will be the mark of a quality international player.

"Forget all that movie-star lifestyle; he’s a fine player. The change of scene will do him good, too. There’s no way he can go at it half-cock. He’s got to prove himself. There are a lot of South Africans at Saracens. They don’t have much time for people who don’t get stuck in. Henson will be a breath of fresh air.'”

The Guardian's Paul Rees takes a look at the packed northern hemisphere schedule and while he believes there needs to be change, it's hard to find where to squeeze in a break.

"In the bleak midwinter, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone and a toll was taken on the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup. All the matches were played, but Edinburgh and Castres met behind closed doors at Murrayfield, Sale had to move their clash against Brive to Gala and only 98 spectators turned up, Wasps advised only supporters who could walk to Adams Park to turn up for the encounter with Newport Gwent Dragons and Toulouse had to wait a couple of days before playing Glasgow because the Scottish side's kit and equipment were held up at Heathrow.

"Premier Rugby is to raise the issue of scheduling with European Rugby Cup Ltd, believing playing the pool stages in two groups of three, rather than two rounds held in three stages in October, December and January, would offer a little more flexibility when extreme weather hits. It is a hazard of winter sports but, given that the Heineken Cup is regarded as the cream of European club rugby, is it right that matches are played whatever, regardless of the inconvenience to spectators? Playing three rounds in October and January would at least offer the prospect of rearrangements at the end of the month, even if international coaches would not be impressed.

"The December rounds, with Christmas beckoning, would lead to any backlog carried into the new year, which is why the matches all went ahead either last weekend or this week. Some club message boards contained angry responses from supporters who had not been able to get to grounds asking why matches were not postponed, while reduced attendances left clubs counting the cost."

Munster's fixtures will be tricky but their destiny remains in their hands © Getty Images

Writing in the Irish Times, Gerry Thornley says the scheduling of the final two Heineken Cup rounds gives the Irish sides cause for concern.

"Neither Munster nor Leinster will feel the scheduling for the final two rounds of Heineken Cup pool games has done them any favours. Both have been given six-day turnarounds, while in Leinster’s case their last-day opponents, Racing Metro, will have had an extra day’s rest. Furthermore, they will be among the first results in on the final weekend, which is never particularly helpful.

By contrast, Brian McLaughlin and Ulster will at least be grateful that they have a seven-day turnaround between their games against Biarritz at Ravenhill on Saturday, January 15th, and their trek to Aironi a week later.

Ideally, though, they might have liked one of their traditional Friday night cauldrons in Belfast for the visit of Biarritz, instead of a Saturday afternoon.

At least though, all three provinces have their destiny in their hands."

In the Daily Telegraph, former England centre Will Greenwood has words of praise for Owen Farrell but also sympathises with the youngster for having a famous Dad.

"It couldn’t have come at a better time. It was his break that set up the try, his penalty kicks, that helped Saracens beat Racing Metro in the snow in Paris.

Ever since he forced his way into the team, helped by injuries, he has been marvellous. So good in fact that Gavin Henson, who was brought in to cover the fly-half position, may end up having to stay in the centre when he returns from his self-imposed exile in the dancing hinterlands.
But as much as Farrell has my admiration, he also has my sympathy. No matter how well he plays, Owen will always be compared to his father, Andy. One of rugby league’s greatest players, Andy was an international in union as well. Those are big shoes to fill, especially when his father is still in the picture – literally.

In Paris it was his father, also a Saracens coach, who brought on his kicking tee and stood nearby watching as Owen slotted the penalties. Every time Owen does something good, the camera hunts out his dad, looking for a reaction. The comparisons will go on forever; you can never escape your heritage.

I should know – I was ‘son of Dick’ for years.

To give you the full, sepia point I am trying to make, I need to take you back to 1990, and explain to the younger readers that my father had played for and captained England at rugby in the Sixties. His glory days were behind him at 49, while I was 17 and had just recovered from a broken collarbone."

Andy Howell writes in the Western Mail that Leigh Halfpenny is ready to answer Wales’ wing injury crisis and propel them to victory over England in their big Six Nations opener.

"The ace finisher missed the autumn internationals because of an ankle injury but is ready to return to action and is hopeful of lining up for the Blues against the Dragons in next Monday’s Magners League derby shoot-out at Newport.

His comeback couldn’t come at a more opportune moment because Wales are set to be without shoulder injury victims Shane Williams and George North for the February 4 clash with the English at the Millennium Stadium.

Teenage sensation North took Halfpenny’s place against South Africa, marking a staggering Test debut with two tries, and held it for the clashes with Fiji and New Zealand.

But the absence of the 19-year-old Scarlets man and former world player of the year Williams means the door is wide open for the Lion to wear the No 14 jersey."

In the Daily Telegraph, Eric Janssen imagines what may be on the Christmas lists of rugby's leading coaches.

"From Martin Johnson, RFU: Dear Santa, thanks for a pretty good Autumn series. We ask not for much, only that our players learn some judgment … when to run, when to keep it tight, when to revert to type and kick the ball away indiscriminately. And that our fans stop being such critical cretins, booing when we play abysmally. And then, oh bearded one, please let us win the Six Nations and the World Cup … it’s the only way I can see Rob Andrew not taking my job for himself.

From Graham Henry, NZRFU: Dear Santa, yes, I know, this letter has been photocopied and yes, you’ve read it before, word for word. We send this letter every four years. We’re really, really tired of being compared to a bra size 34A … lots of support but no cup. And no chokers under the tree for us either, pleez. So hold on to the gifts this Christmas, and rather give us something special in October next year.

From Warren Gatland, The Valleys: Hey Santa, what’s your case, bro? You give us great Grand Slams in years past, then you rip the red carpet from under us, and suddenly we look like average prats. Come on mate, a bit of consistency would be nice. Actually, coming to think of it, a liberal sprinkling of consistency for my team would be a wicked gift. And a big wooden clock with easy-to-read arms, so I can explain to the dim ones in my team that games last 80 minutes, not only 50 or 60. Big ups, bro.
From Robbie Deans, Down Under: Dear Santa, only two wishes this year: a solid, mean 500kg tight-five called a scrum; and some fairness from these Wallaby fans… when I lose they call me a &*%$£$* Kiwi ?$£”!%, yet when I win I’m suddenly an Australian (bit like they also claim pavlova and Phar Lap to be theirs).

From Peter de Villiers, Saffa land: Santa, it goes without saying that many of us in SA think it’s racist that Santa is a white bloke. But hey, let’s leave that there, before my motor-mouth utters more rubbish. All I ask is that you keep my main men – Smit, Matfield, Burger, Du Preez, Du Plessis, Spies, Smith, Steyn & Steyn etc etc – fit for RWC 2011. So far they’ve papered over all the cracks in my coaching skills, so please let them hang in there and make my look like an allright bloke when I lose in the RWC semi-final. PS… I’d consider it racism if you ignored my wishes."

Sonny Bill Williams announces his next fight alongside Anthony Mundine © Getty Images

Chris Rattue packs a punch in the New Zealand Herald as he delivers his verdict on the wisdom of Sonny Bill Williams’ return to boxing prior to the World Cup.

"The Sonny Bill Williams boxing story refuses to remain on the canvas and this column won't throw in the towel either. Encouraging your prime football talent into the murky world of professional boxing is plain stupid, especially on the eve of what you regard as the great World Cup mission.

I love boxing ... watching it, that is. But anybody who thinks boxing is run by squeaky-clean blokes who spend their waking hours swatting up on injury care is bonkers. Professional boxers know the dangers, dedicate at least some of their careers to minimising them, and hope for glory and riches in return.

Professional boxing causes brain damage to almost everyone who does it. The sport is an absolute winner though - for repairers of hand and eye injuries. As they say - it only takes one punch…

The All Blacks were none too pleased when Bakkies Botha head-butted Jimmy Cowan, yet are happy for Scott Lewis to belt the hobby boxer Williams on the noggin as often as he can….

Call me a powder puff, but don't pretend that professional boxing is akin to imitation boxing drills, or a sensible punt for a central figure in your World Cup plans."

Writing in the Daily Mail, Chris Foy spots a chink of self-doubt in Gavin Henson ahead of the Welshman’s return to competitive rugby for Saracens.

"Gavin Henson has waltzed through the build-up to his rugby return with a confident swagger - making bold predictions about hitting the ground running. But, as he surveyed the scene of his Boxing Day comeback, there was a trace of uncertainty.

The 28-year-old double Grand Slam-winner, Lion and Strictly Come Dancing semi-finalist, was at Wembley for a few practice kicks at goal and a chance to visualise his first appearance for 21 months. On Sunday he is poised to make his debut for Saracens in their Aviva Premiership clash with Wasps, in front of a curious crowd of around 50,000.

The festive hordes will wonder whether the man who has become a reality TV star in the past six months can still cut it in the more brutal world of his old day job. They will judge if Henson the rugby player can support the weight of Henson the burgeoning brand.

The man himself has made positive noises about how quickly he will find his feet and earn a Wales recall for the Six Nations. He was similarly upbeat at Wembley but could not quite disguise an element of doubt. He thinks he will be fine, as good as new, if not better. But, after all the time out of action, he just does not know.

'I have no idea where I'm at to be honest, but I'm feeling pretty good,' Henson said. 'I just hope I can perform pretty well. I think it will be all right. I'm really excited about playing again, I just hope I'm going to be good, but I might not be. I try not to let negative thoughts come into my head, so in my mind I am playing unbelievable rugby! It might be a different thing in reality, but I'm staying positive.

'If it doesn't happen straight away, it doesn't happen straight away. I am back in rugby for good and I look after myself so hopefully I can play for another eight years. I am in it for the long haul.'"

Frank Keating, in the Guardian, goes grave spotting and pays homage to the ghosts of seasons past.

"At the end of every year in recent times I find I've snipped out for scrapbook-hoarding a whole pile of these daily back-page essays with their distinctive variety of illustrators, attitudes, humours, and hobby-horse hypotheses. A particularly resonant column in October told of Stephen Bates's dismay at discovering the dilapidated, overgrown grave in a Sussex country churchyard of a fabled Ashes legend of the not-too-distant past, Maurice Tate – and the immediate and happy outcome was that a London reader, Robert Harrison, and his son travelled to Wadhurst to begin repairs just as, simultaneously, the Sussex supporters' association pledged full-scale renovation of the once strapping hero's grave.

Although the poet Thomas Gray might have insisted mournfully in the language's definitive churchyard elegy that all "paths of glory lead but to the grave", there remains an undeniable bittersweetness about visiting the graves of golden athletes and sportsmen who once knew a halcyon prime….

An earlier Rugby schoolboy who first "picked up the ball and ran" on the school's "Bigside" in 1823 was William Webb Ellis (1806-1872), who ended up as a wealthy bachelor-vicar in Essex and died at 65 while wintering in Menton in the Alpes-Maritimes. The whereabouts of his grave remained a mystery – until "caveau numéro 957" was discovered in 1959 by the diligent journalist-historian Ross McWhirter. It's been a rugger man's altar ever since and I'm among those who've raised a Ricard to the revolutionary Rev at his resting place."

Sean O'Brien crashes over for Leinster © Getty Images

After the latest European battles, Gerry Thornley believes that Leinster are the best placed of the Irish sides heading forward in The Irish Times.

"Crucially, the integrity of the tournament has been maintained, with no match, as things stand, set to be deferred beyond rounds five and six in this arctic winter. It still seems more fiendishly difficult than ever to pick the eight quarter-finalists at this juncture, but Leinster are both best placed of the Irish trio going into the final two rounds, and look best equipped to ultimately win the trophy after two outstanding performances in a row against Clermont.

"Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. Leinster did, after all, reach the semi-finals last season, only to be without Jonathan Sexton when also having the distinct misfortune to be drawn away in the semi-finals. You need a bit of luck in these things too, and as an aside it was interesting to contrast the way Sexton hurriedly had a plate inserted in his jaw the day after last season’s quarter-final in a failed attempt to have him fit for the semi-final three weeks later whereas without an operation and returning to the care of his specialist, Brian O’Driscoll was able to play again 20 days after suffering a cracked jaw against Argentina."

Hugh Farrelly looks at the importance of the scrum following Munster's demolition by the Ospreys in The Irish Independent.

"We were told a story recently about a special fixture that took place back in the 1980s to celebrate the centenary of the Munster Branch.

"It was a clash between a Cork XV and a Limerick XV and, though just an exhibition match, the deep-rooted rugby rivalry between the cities produced a ferocious affair with little holding back on either side. Limerick were captained by Munster and Ireland tight-head Ginger McLoughlin (you may have seen footage of him scoring a try in Twickenham) and the Shannon man advocated a direct, up the jumper approach.

"As the game progressed, the rate of attrition saw Limerick lose their out-half and they had to go the Cork bench for a replacement. Those were the days of Cork backs and Limerick forwards -- the ratios have come closer together in recent times -- and the story goes that Ginger was none too impressed by the new man's Corinthian approach to the game."

Mick Cleary delves deeper into a rare occurrence - Leicester's refusal to dip onto the replacements bench against Perpignan - in The Daily Telegraph

"It was quite a Sunday double for the Leicester director of rugby and if he can do it, then why can’t others? Cockerill chose not to use any of the eight substitutes available to him, a nigh-on unprecedented act in the modern game. Ah, but Leicester didn’t win? True, but Perpignan’s last-minute equalising penalty had nothing to do with the fact that eight Leicester blokes were sitting swaddled like Michelin men on the sidelines. The Tigers’ starting XV were still punching their weight, driving hard in the scrum and in the loose.

"Shaggy-haired, breast-beating, fist-pumping Martin Castrogiovanni was a compelling sight at Welford Road, the prop glaring and roaring over the crumpled heap that had been the stable, upright Perpignan scrum a few seconds earlier. Interestingly, Perpignan’s difficulties in the scrum started when they hoicked off their hooker, Marius Tincu, early in the second half. The Catalan side used seven substitutes in all, yet had to rely on a late penalty to get the draw.

"The men with clipboards will tell you that subs do make a difference, that there is an impact, that fresher is fitter and better than battle-worn and jaded. Well, it wasn’t on Sunday."

Edinburgh fullback Chris Paterson has been one of his country's most reliable performers over the past ten years © Getty Images

The Scotsman's Bill Lothian names his Scotland team of the decade.

"Coach Andy Robinson's Scotland rugby team will enter the new decade enjoying a stability that has been unprecedented throughout these noughties years that are about to end.

"So, on the back of six matches unbeaten out of seven is it not reasonable to expect many of the players utilised by Robinson to dominate any Scotland line-up chosen from those who have pulled on the dark blue jersey over the past ten years?

"Well, yes. In this observer's view history is bound to confirm, for example, that Chris Paterson as an all-time Scotland great. What's more, for the purposes of this selection 'Mossy' can be justified entirely on the grounds that he is the only player to have been capped this season who debuted back in the '90s but remains in the forefront of the game and never mind that the Lions chose to ignore his abilities."

In his column in the Irish Examiner, Donal Lenihan analyses the performances of the three Irish performances over the course of the latest round of Heineken Cup action.

"The net result of the weekend’s deliberations is that all three Irish sides have qualification to the knockout stage within their control even if some, Leinster in particular, are in a better position than others.

"It was inevitable, given the quality in their squad, that the Ospreys were going to dent Munster’s European aspirations at some stage in this tournament, and Saturday was the day.

"The only consolation for Munster was that it could have been worse. At least they had the satisfaction of clinging on to that bonus point at the death. If the one secured at the outset of this pool at the Madejski Stadium against London Irish was fashioned by some quality work from David Wallace, Duncan Williams and Sam Tuitupou, this one owed more to very poor game management and decision-making by Ospreys captain Alun-Wyn Jones."

Chris Hewett of The Independent feels that Bath's defeat by Ulster at the Recreation Ground on Saturday proves that there are some things that money can't buy.

"He may have been the most merciless back-row bandit ever to rob an opponent of his sanity and self-respect in a public place: certainly, the phrase "mad, bad and dangerous to know" was an insipid understatement when used in his connection.

"Roger Spurrell, the captain who launched Bath on their golden decade, travelled north from his beachside home in Cornwall at the weekend to cast an eye over his old club in their fight for Heineken Cup survival, hob-nobbing with the owner Bruce Craig in his private box, catching up with a few greying ex-playmates in the public bar, offering an opinion or two, listening to a whole lot more. It was good to see him again.

"Quite what he concluded about what he had seen and heard was anyone's guess - there was always something elusive about him, even in the early days - but this much was blindingly obvious: there was not even a trace element of the Spurrell spirit to be found among the current Bath players on Saturday.

"Against an Ulster side missing a talismanic flanker of their own in Stephen Ferris, struggling with their discipline around the tackle area and down to 14 men at the last knockings, the West Countrymen were so lacking in killer instinct that this "should win" game became a "can't win" game almost without them noticing."

Writing in the Irish Independent,, Peter Bills hails what he feels was a "seminal performance" by Leinster in Saturday's Heineken Cup clash with Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

"If Leinster faces were creased in smiles after this marvellous match, those belonging to two other, quite separate, groups of rugby men were lined with furrowed brows.

"For this encounter, this seminal performance by Leinster, raised some pertinent and uncomfortable questions for two other rugby parties.

"The most obviously discomforted group was the French contingent. Here were the reigning champions of France, a club that had targeted the Heineken Cup this season as its most-wanted trophy, swept away by the pace, power and unrelenting intensity of the Leinster team."

Glasgow trip up against Toulouse in France © Getty Images

Iain Morrison, writing in The Scotsman, believes the failures in Europe of Edinburgh and Glasgow is due to lack of funding from the governing body.

“Fans of Scotland's two pro teams are beginning to know what Napoleon felt like on the long retreat from Moscow, as yet another European campaign ends in humiliating retreat in a snow-bound landscape before Christmas is properly upon us.

Even before yesterday's match Glasgow had already lost at home to Toulouse and Edinburgh were second best in their opening three matches, so the chance of either Scots side qualifying for so much as the Amlin Cup is about as likely as Prince Charles joining the student protesters in Parliament Square. It's a nice thought but it's just not going to happen.

If there is fault it lies not necessarily with the clubs, who still claim the odd top-class scalp for their mantelpiece, but with the governing body which has failed to put in place the financial structures to allow Edinburgh and Glasgow to hold on to their best players. Only that way can they compete with a mature and experienced group rather than having to rebuild the squad each and every season.

The funding gap with most of the Heineken opposition is substantial and it can grow to spectacular widths against the richest of the French clubs. Edinburgh's chairman Jim Calder sees no obvious and immediate solution to the problem of our pro teams' lack of progress in Europe, but he has started one initiative to raise some much-needed investment for the capital club.”

George Hook writes in the Irish Independent that refereeing in the Heineken Cup is ‘reaching crisis point’ and Munster’s must take responsibility for their ill-discipline.

"Munster face a difficult task in qualifying for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup after a defeat by Ospreys yesterday. With Toulon winning over the London Irish, the trip away for Munster will rank with any in their long and distinguished history. In the past, the possibility of an away win was real but this time the side does not appear to have the armoury up front to take on teams with serious intent.

The most dominant figure in the game was referee Romain Poite. He allowed everything and exerted little or no control. The result was a match of fits and starts that delivered little or no continuity. Refereeing is now reaching crisis point in the Heineken Cup. The Ulster game in Bath was dreadfully refereed and it got worse in the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.

The second most noticeable figure for all the wrong reasons was Tony Buckley whose performance yesterday must surely end his pretence at being an international prop forward. The Munster scrum was awful and improved not a whit with the arrival of John Hayes. However, Hayes is at the end of a career whereas Buckley continues to make a mockery of Declan Kidney's rejection of Mike Ross.

This week has seen Munster's one-eyed reaction at its worst. Ex-players were rolled out on the media to extol the virtues of Paul O'Connell and the dastardly actions of Jonathan Thomas who pulled his shirt. Listening to former international Mick Galway this week, one expected Benedict XVI to come to Limerick to canonise the Young Munster lock. Galwey went further to suggest that the Munster scrum had been outstanding this week. Frankie Sheehan even went so far as to suggest that the Welshman should have been punished rather than the Irishman."

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, former England lock Paul Ackford says that Northampton’s Courtney Lawes is revolutionising the second-row role.

“Enter Courtney Lawes, the mould-breaker. This afternoon Lawes will pack down in Northampton’s second row for their Heineken Cup tie with Cardiff. Voted England’s Man of the Series during the autumn, Lawes is neither fish nor fowl under the old definitions.

His line-out work is scratchy, his scrummaging contribution no more than adequate, yet he is at the centre of the England revolution, a svelte, loose-limbed, radical example of a new breed of lock.

Lawes is a reluctant trailblazer. “To be honest, I prefer playing No 6. Your head’s not in the scrum and you can make a few more tackles,” he said, a response to make the artificial hips of a previous generation of second rows rattle with indignation. “Mostly, I enjoy putting in the big hits and making big carries."

Lawes is a reluctant trailblazer. “To be honest, I prefer playing No 6. Your head’s not in the scrum and you can make a few more tackles,” he said, a response to make the artificial hips of a previous generation of second rows rattle with indignation. “Mostly, I enjoy putting in the big hits and making big carries.” big carries.”

In the Independent, Bath prop David Flatman gives his thoughts on the RFU’s future selection policy and reveals his wine-fueled negotiating tactics.

“We all know that French Top 14 wages are incomparable with those here in the Aviva Premiership and, whether or not this model is sustainable, this will always be attractive to professionals involved in a dangerous sport for a short time….

What will probably happen is that far fewer young, aspiring players will move to France, despite the money to be earned. Those more likely to "opt out" will be the 30-somethings with less still to prove and families to feed. Dean Schofield and Kris Chesney are perfect examples; not in the national reckoning but still great assets to any club side, they are performing very nicely for Toulon and loving every minute.

The big issues will come with players like Jonny Wilkinson. One suspects his circumstances might be "exceptional", and understandably so. When he inevitably sidesteps the new ruling there will be shrieks of injustice from the likes of Jamie Noon – playing at Brive – and Paul Sackey of Toulon. My solution would be all peace and love. Get everyone round a table, crack open a bottle of wine and discuss it like rugby men over a steak. "Can we have the lads when we need them, please?" "Bien sur, mon copain." There might need to be a bit of compensation thrown the way of the French owners, but it's not as if the RFU are on the breadline.

Hang on a minute, my negotiation technique seems to be centred around wine, red meat and money. That's not very British. Perhaps we have more in common than we imagined. Second thoughts, scrap that, tell those blasted French to do as they're told. There, that's better.”

Jonny Wilkinson was in top form for Toulon against London Irish last weekend © Getty Images

Writing in the Independent, the former England coach Brian Ashton says that Jonny Wilkinson’s intention to stay in France will pose a real dilemma for England, who recently stated that international hopefuls should ply their trade in the domestic game.

"Less than a fortnight before the game, the Rugby Football Union had publicly toughened its stance against any ambitious candidates for representative honours who might be tempted to broaden their horizons by playing offshore for a season or two. In light of the thoroughly modern, invigoratingly international flavour of the Anglo-French contest at the Madejski Stadium [between London Irish and Toulon last weekend], is the governing body's argument really so clear-cut?

Predictably, the lion's share of the commentary surrounding the RFU's edict has been centred on Wilkinson's position vis-à-vis his contractual situation at Toulon. Will he sign a new deal? If he does, how will it affect his chances of playing at the World Cup in New Zealand in nine months? As far as we can tell, he appears set on staying in France, and in theory, this puts him in the danger zone as far as non-selection for England is concerned. Yet judging by the way he played at London Irish, it will take a brave selector to leave him out.

His performance last weekend brought back memories of Wilkinson in his pomp. Thanks to that work ethic of his, he has always had an outstanding technique: the dexterity of his passing and the potency of his kicking off either foot are without peer; his defence is still good enough to deal with most situations.

What really intrigued me about Wilkinson's display was his liberated approach to orchestrating and conducting Toulon's rugby – something I suspect took London Irish a little by surprise. When appropriate, he played right up in the faces of the Exiles' defence and frequently ran the ball himself. At other times, he brought those around him into the game with precise contributions from hand and foot. He switched the point and focus of attack intelligently, and, on more than one occasion, counter-attacked boldly off turnover ball. All in all, I saw a very different player to the one who appeared in an England shirt over the last 12 months. If this is what comes from spending some time in France..."

Brian Ashton also has his say on Brendan Venter’s bizarre press interview and his stand-off with the ERC in the Independent.

Brendan Venter: non-conformist, or merely disrespectful? The rebel in me says the tick belongs in the first box. If the media insist on shoving microphones under the noses of coaches and players directly after important contests and the governing bodies complain when the answers to questions are truthful but not to their liking, where the hell do we end up? In the strange world of last week's Vicarage Road interview, that's where.

There are conflicting forces at work here: satisfying the demands of the broadcasters while wanting people to toe the party line and do their bit to keep the administrators and tournament sponsors happy. All I know is this: the best press conferences I ever saw were those given by my sporting idol Muhammad Ali. They were irreverent, arrogantly prophetic and, without exception, brutally honest. Did they toe the party line? Not quite.

Some of Venter's rival coaches – Toby Booth of London Irish, for instance – saw the funny side but not the administrators of European Rugby Cup Ltd. Big Brother is watching.

In The Scotsman, Allan Massie airs his scepticism over Gavin Henson’s imminent return to rugby, casting doubt on whether he’ll recover his former world-class status.

"The old adage used to be "they never come back". It's as true, or untrue, as most of such sayings. We can all think of some individuals, in a variety of sports, who have indeed made a successful return after retirement or long absence as a result of injury.

Down in Wales just now there's a like clamour for the return of Gavin Henson for the Six Nations, even though it's almost two years since he played a game of rugby. There's word that he may play for his new club, Saracens, on Boxing Day. Perhaps he will, but I'll be surprised if he doesn't struggle. Henson of course is still quite young - only 28 - and was a very fine player, if not a great one; but it will be hard for him to pick up where he left off, and it would be no great surprise if he played a few games for Saracens and then dropped out again. It depends on how much he wants it, but a few weeks of Strictly, Come Dancing are scarcely adequate preparation for top-class rugby.

JPR Williams was a greater player than Henson, but when the Welsh selectors brought him back for a match at Murrayfield in 1981 after he had been out of international rugby for a couple of years, he had a terrible time and it was painful to watch."

In the Telegraph Gloucester winger James Simpson-Daniel pays tribute to Gloucester chairman Tom Walkinshaw, who died of cancer this week.

"Tom Walkinshaw took over at Gloucester Rugby a few years before I joined the club so my entire club career to this point has been spent with him at the helm.

He put a huge amount into the club. Not just money, he invested his time and his energy as well. Whatever decisions he had to make, he made them with the best interests of Gloucester Rugby at heart and I think that all the supporters respected that. One of his main legacies is the way he developed the facilities and the stadium in particular. Kingsholm is a superb venue and bears little resemblance to the ground at the time when Tom became involved.

Even when the word was that he was struggling financially on a personal basis, he still managed to invest in Gloucester Rugby. It was a true labour of love to him. There was a long period of time when he was still involved in Formula One and other forms of autosport but he still managed to commit huge amounts of time to Gloucester.

Right up until last week, he still had his finger on the pulse of how we were performing on the pitch. He obviously wasn’t in a position to travel to France last weekend but he texted Brush (Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath) after we beat La Rochelle to say “Well done. A great result for you and the guys.”

That was a measure of how much he cared for the club. When he became ill, it would have been understandable if he’d switched off a bit but the club really was his passion.
People forget sometimes that he used to bring his boys along to watch Gloucester at Kingsholm even before he was actually involved and I think it’s fitting that his son Ryan is going to stay involved in the future."

Aurelien Rougerie's mission to get his hands on the Heineken Cup again continues on Saturday © Getty Images

Writing in The Irish Independent, Hugh Farrelly profiles Clermont centre Aurelien Rougerie who he says, epitomises the club that he has spent his career playing for.

"When he eventually retires, Rougerie will have spent his entire professional career playing for his local club and, in many respects, he is the club. Tall, blond, handsome, articulate and prodigiously talented, Rougerie falls squarely into the 'women want him, men want to be him' category, as well as being a marketing department's dream. Walking around the industrial town last weekend, Rougerie's image gazed down upon you wherever you turned.

"Clermont have recruited a host of overseas talents and merged them with a clutch of quality French internationals but, more than assuming the practical duties of captain, Rougerie is the figurehead, the inspiration of Clermont rugby, deified by the region in the same way that Biarritz back-row Imanol Harinordoquy is by his fellow Basques. Rougerie is steeped in Clermont. His father Jacques played prop and hooker for the club in the 1960s and '70s, good enough to win a cap for France in 1973, while his mother Christine, an international basketball player, is deputy mayor."

Writing in The Guardian Shaun Edwards urges those lambasting the scrum to think again.

"The scrum is in danger of getting a bad name. It's becoming the butt of those rugby fashionistas who seem intent on portraying it as a waste of playing time and merely a method of restarting the game, rather than something very much at the core of the sport. They should know better and if last weekend didn't help them to see the light, then I suspect little will. We'll continue to get "Scrum time 8 minutes" flashed up on our television screens or retired backs poking fun, when a little thought would go a long way.

"At scrum time packs have been instructed to "Crouch, touch, pause" before they "Engage". The result has been endless collapses and resets, and when referees were then instructed to crack down on the resets, we got streams of penalties instead. Now, them that knows say that scrums have been turned into balancing acts as front rows struggle not to concede any advantage in the hit and increasingly they are suggesting removing the "pause" phase of the preliminaries because it's one complication too many, especially if the referee gets the rhythm wrong and delays too long before calling engage. Also because there is a de facto pause in the instruction anyway."

The Daily Mail's Chris Foy launches a defence of Brendan Venter's infamous interview and says both sides need to take a step back from the dispute.

"There is a certain irony in the fact that Brendan Venter has provided rugby with yet another talking point by saying next to nothing in a post-match interview. Saracens’ out-going director of rugby has a habit of rattling cages and he was at it again last Saturday. He delivered a series of mumbled, non-answers on Sky – in protest at a huge European Rugby Cup fine last month for publicly criticising referees, and inspired by the film Mike Bassett, England Manager. From the out-pouring of angst and recrimination that has followed, you would think the ex-Springbok centre had kidnapped a kid or drowned a cute kitten. A dash of perspective is in order here.

"First and foremost, there is undoubtedly an element of pettiness at play. This circus sideshow has all the hallmarks of a lovers’ tiff – with both sides wanting to have the final word. And so ERC duly stewed on Venter’s rambling, verbal version of a two-fingered gesture, then delivered a statement condemning his behaviour, having already privately acknowledged that they had no scope to take action as, strictly-speaking, he had done nothing wrong. Their riposte merely served to prolong the pantomime when they should have realised that this was merely an example of a feisty character demonstrating his frustration in a way that was harmless enough and unlikely to be repeated."

All Black Sonny Bill Williams announces his next fight next to Aussie boxer Anthony Mundine © Getty Images

The New Zealand Herald's Chris Rattue insists he will be in Scott Lewis' corner when he takes on All Black Sonny Bill Williams in the boxing ring next year.

"Even if Sonny Bill cops a decent punch from Lewis, it's unlikely to destroy his rugby career. Plenty of men have risen from the canvas after enduring more than Lewis can dish out.

"Williams is unnecessarily increasing his injury risk though, especially to the hands.

"And what of the damage that is impossible to measure? A sapping summer boxing regime could well take a toll around World Cup time. Boxing and the training required are incredibly draining, even at bum level.

"And Williams' NZRU boxing clause makes a joke of the rest, rotation and Mediterranean swimming policies of 2007.

"Is Williams really attempting to be the very best rugby player he can be? That's the question with the unfortunate answer here."

Munster boss Tony McGahan opted against a bit of referee bashing in the build-up to his side's re-match with the Ospreys, the Irish Independent's David Kelly reports.

"Following last Sunday's incendiary affair at Thomond Park, Munster completed their only contact session of the week in Cork Institute of Technology facilities yesterday ahead of their Heineken Cup re-match with the Ospreys in Swansea. Their physical preparedness is undeniable. Much of this week's challenge will be in the mind.

"Hence, yesterday there was little of the spikiness evidenced after Sunday's bruising win from Team Munster, merely a myopic focus on ensuring that they maintain their progress in this mine-filled Pool 3.

"Introspection trumps indiscretion, within Munster at least. McGahan could be forgiven, for example, some apprehension that the Ospreys' accusations of illegalities by Munster's tight-heads could influence Saturday's French referee, Roman Poite -- especially as Monsieur Poite has had a rocky history with Munster in the Heineken Cup."

Connacht could be set for a showdown with IRFU bosses, just weeks after a new way forward for the province was agreed, according to the Irish Independent's John Fallon.

"The big surprise will be the linking of out-half Ian Keatley with a move to Munster, while Irish hooker Sean Cronin and top try scorer Fionn Carr could be poised for a move to Leinster. A fourth first-team player is being linked with a possible move to Leinster.

"Part of the new agreement was supposed to be the movement to Connacht of players from Munster, Leinster and Ulster, but now Eric Elwood and his management team look like they could be stripped of four key players. All four are in their third season with Connacht and arrived because they were unable to make the breakthrough in their native provinces, with Cronin going on to win seven Irish caps since moving to the Sportsground."

The recently-retired former England and Lions prop Phil Vickery tells The Independent's Chris Hewett about his sense of loss since quitting the game.

"Vickery had undergone major surgery more than once during his tour of duty through the darkest regions of top-flight rugby: on his neck, his back, his shoulder. As he had also managed to fracture an eye socket, bust a forearm and make an unholy mess of his own ribcage as well as those belonging to his less fortunate opponents, the orthopaedic calamity known as Jonny Wilkinson frequently appeared blessed by comparison. Had rugby been worth it, all things considered?

"Oh yes," the 34-year-old replies. "Absolutely worth it. I could have done without the injuries, of course, but if you play this game to any level, you quickly learn to accept them as part of the deal. Even the bad ones. I'd have happily played on after this one if the doctors had suggested I could do so. I can't deny there's been a fair bit of pain down the years, but during the grim times I learned things about myself I'd never have discovered otherwise. I wouldn't have swapped any of it for anything.

"To be honest with you, I'm missing it terribly. I haven't even started to come to terms with what's happened because it's still far too raw, too close to the bone. I think that partly, it's because everything happened so quickly: the gap separating my last match and my retirement announcement was... what, four weeks? I had no time to talk it through with people, no time to prepare for life after professional sport, to digest the implications. But there's another reason why I feel the way I do at the moment, and it's to do with my passion for rugby. Now that I have an opportunity to think it over, I realise more and more how much I love the game. It's very dear to me and I know I won't find a replacement for it. There are a few things I'd like to try, but at the moment, I can't think of anything that will give me the same satisfaction."

While the spirit of liberty and independence runs through French rugby, the tricolore flutters alone according to The Guardian's Paul Rees.

"French rugby has long been regarded from outside as an enigma. It has been seen as an antidote to the trench rugby being waged elsewhere; racehorses rather than shire horses, as one writer put it in the 1960s, a feast of unpredictability.

"A few weeks after France were thrashed by Australia in Paris, taking their points conceded against two Tri-Nations sides this year to three figures after crashing to South Africa in the summer, seven French clubs lined up in the third round of the Heineken Cup.

"Racing Métro were at Saracens, Toulon were in Reading to face London Irish, Perpignan welcomed Leicester, Castres were at home to Edinburgh, Toulouse travelled to Glasgow, Clermont Auvergne entertained Leinster and Biarritz, who had not lost since September, went to Aironi, who had not won all season.

"Biarritz were the biggest bankers to win but they ended up the only losers. If they confirmed the stereotype of the French being poor travellers, Racing, Toulon and (again) Toulouse shredded it. All the leading French clubs have at least a handful of players from other countries: old shibboleths now have little relevance."

Kieran Read enjoyed a great 2010 © Getty Images

Marc Hinton believes that All Blacks No.8 Kieran Read deserves his share of the spoils following a brilliant international season on stuff.co.nz.

"With all due respect to Richie McCaw, surely it's Kieran Read's turn to get some of the love. Thursday's year-ending New Zealand rugby awards shape as the ideal place to start.

"Read is up against McCaw and ageless lock Brad Thorn for the game's supreme award, the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year.

"All three, of course, would be worthy winners, but as is the way with these things we've got to compare, contrast and concoct a winner."

David Kelly previews what is set to be a tumultuous Heineken Cup showdown between the Ospreys and Munster in The Irish Independent.

"From the moment that Brett Sinkinson stamped on Ronan O'Gara's ankle en route to Munster's Celtic League final romp in 2003, bad blood has coursed through the recent history of clashes between the two-time European champions and the perennial pretenders from Wales.

"In fact, it goes back even further. During the 2003 World Cup, Munster travelled to Neath with a callow side minus 13 internationals and Jeremy Staunton was singled out towards the end of a narrow 33-26 defeat.

"Bearing the visible scars of a terrific shoeing, a dejected Staunton prompted Declan Kidney to issue a stirring broadside to his deflated troops. "Look at the state of that man's face," Kidney said to a stunned dressing-room. "I don't mind if you get beaten on the scoreline, but don't ever let yourselves be beaten up again."

Peter Bills delivers a 'sobering assessment' of northern hemisphere rugby following the latest Heineken Cup battles in The Independent.

"Italy’s South African-born coach Nick Mallett recently spelled out the harsh facts of world rugby life to a failing northern hemisphere.

"Mallett’s strong views came after a November Test series of southern hemisphere supremacy that has left the northern hemisphere countries covered by a blanket of gloom, not to mention snow.

“Even your international teams would struggle to beat the top four or five sides in Super 15 rugby” Mallett told me. “There are far too many average games in northern hemisphere rugby. Even in competitions like the Heineken Cup, the French Top 14, the English Premiership and the Celtic League, you can lower your guard in any of those games."

Aironi bucked the trend with victory over Biarritz © Getty Images

Gerry Thornley crunches some numbers following another hard-fought round of Heineken Cup action in The Irish Times.

"As Heineken Cup weekends go, that was quite unusual. Although eight of the dozen games were won by the home side, most unusually in all bar two of the games (Biarritz’s stunning defeat to Aironi and Perpignan’s five-point win against Leicester) anyone backing the away side on the handicap betting with the bookies would have come out on top.

"Toulouse were the biggest winners of the weekend when beating Glasgow in Firhill on Friday night, and this set a trend as Racing Metro and Toulon defied their odds as six-point underdogs to actually win away to Saracens and London Irish. Apart from Glasgow, the only sides who didn’t obtain losing bonus points were Treviso and Cardiff, who lost by eight points at the Scarlets and Northampton. All other nine losers extracted bonus points, which was a record for the competition and confirms the impression that this is the most competitive Heineken Cup ever.

"Consider the previous record was set in the first round of this season’s competition when seven of the dozen games ended within the seven-point margin needed for a losing bonus point. In the previous 42 Pool rounds over the last seven seasons the most losing bonus points secured in a round were six on four occasions (round two 09/10; rounds four and six 08/09; round three 04/05)."

David Ferguson pays tribute to Gloucester chairman Tom Walkinshaw in The Scotsman.

"It all started for Walkinshaw at Mauldslie Farm near Penicuik, where he was born on 14 August, 1946. From there the budding racing driver started out behind the wheel of an MG Midget and worked his way up through Formula Ford - winning the 1969 Scottish Championship - Formula Three, 5000 and Two and then on to the British Touring Car Championship, where he drove a Capri.

"He was just 30 when he founded Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), but he continued to drive and won the European Touring Car Championship in 1984 in a Jaguar XJS. That was the start of an exciting spell with Jaguar, which brought success in the Bathurst in Australia, before he moved into management and the design and manufacturing of racing and road cars full-time. This saw him claim success in touring cars, saloon cars, Le Mans, and bring engineers such as Ross Brawn to the main stage."

David Kelly looks at the fallout from Munster lock Paul O'Connell's red card against the Ospreys in The Irish Independent.

"Paul O'Connell did not need the judgment of his peers to realise that Sunday's moment of madness offered as little wriggle room for escape as that afforded to the hapless, shirt-tugging Jonathan Thomas.

"But they were damning nonetheless, and their harsh scrutiny should mirror the post-mortem that will certainly be taking place behind closed doors within the Munster squad this week, as they prepare for their pivotal return clash with the Ospreys on Saturday.

"Indeed, Munster's Denis Leamy abruptly rejected any defence from his own camp by starkly outlining the bare facts of the matter yesterday."

Mick Cleary puts forward his love of the scrummage following Perpignan's battle with Leicester in The Daily Telegraph.

"If you find that slow build-up of tension dull, that creation of climax as 600 kilos of beef and bone slug it out tedious, the feeling that at any moment one of the sides might crack and the slow, death-march towards the opposition line begin mind-numbing, then I suggest you watch rugby league, football or Strictly Come Dancing.

"The scrum is an integral part of rugby union, as loved by the sport’s connoisseurs as spin bowling is by cricket lovers, and it must remain so. Let us get rid of the notion that it is a mere restart, a chance to get play on the move again after an infringement.

"That’s cobblers. It is a fundamental part of the contest, a mano-a-mano contest to discover who is the more powerful, the more courageous, the more technically accomplished and, often, who wants it most."

Robert Kitson offers his take on Saracens coach Brendan Venter's bizarre post-match interview in The Guardian.

"Voltaire never actually wrote the phrase most frequently attributed to him. Apparently his famous mantra - "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" - simply paraphrased a passage in his Essay on Tolerance, specifically the key line: "Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too." How ironic that a man who best defined the concept of freedom of speech should end up being misquoted.

"At least his memory lives on, courtesy this week of a rugby coach whose name also starts with a V. For those who did not see it, Brendan Venter's post-match interview on Sky following Saracens's defeat to Racing Metro on Saturday is worth studying. This is what happens when an intelligent man tries to be a bit too clever and attempts to expose the stupidity of others without realising he is actually making an idiot of himself. The fact Venter had a point when he delivered his original rant about refereeing consistency in Europe back in October was rather lost on those who simply saw a man in need of urgent psychological help."

Sarries boss Brendan Venter is in the headlines once again © Getty Images

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, former England international and now award-winning author Brian Moore offers his take on the bizarre post-match interview given by Saracens boss Brendan Venter at the weekend.

"How you interpret Venter’s behaviour rests largely on whether you agree with his claim that both he and Saracens have been treated unfairly by referees generally and by European Rugby Cup particularly. So preternatural was Venter’s performance that it could evidence numerous things; the only common verdict being that it was, by any yardstick, unusual to the point of disturbing.

"Depending from where you begin your diagnosis, any of the following could be mooted as a reason for Venter’s exposition – mental illness; the influence of mind-altering substances; autism; incivility; arrogance; childishness; an ill-judged attempt at humour; an appalling lack of appreciation of his position or defiance towards ERC and the disciplinary measures visited on him for previous comments made post-match.

"People who know him were sufficiently concerned about his behaviour to state that something was not right with him and you have to wonder what Venter, who is also a doctor, would have made of a person exhibiting symptoms similar to those captured on camera. If Venter is not ill, then none of the alternative explanations is acceptable for a man holding his position in what purports to be a professional outfit."

Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Gregor Paul ponders life after the retirement of current All Blacks coach Graham Henry.

"If 2011 is going to be his last year at the helm, he's not rushing to confirm it. Giving up the All Blacks will be a massive wrench for Henry, even at 65. Even if they win the World Cup, he'll find it hard to let go.

"That's probably why he's not keen to make any statements about his future yet. Obviously if the All Blacks bomb again, then all this is rendered moot - he'll be gone. But if the All Blacks win the World Cup, is it ridiculous to believe Henry could be kept on for longer?

"He seems to have no problem evolving, moving with the times in terms of his management style. He remains one of the best strategists in the business and is it not possible that he's got more to come?

"Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be 70 next year and no one would be so stupid as to brand him a spent force."

Both Leinster and Munster face an anxious wait on the availability of their respective Lions’ captains and totems, Brian O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell, according to the Irish Times' Gerry Thornley.

"The fallout for Munster was arguably the more unnerving. They appeared well set to press on and secure a bonus point win of their own when Johne Murphy crossed for their third try in the 63rd minute to put them 22-13 ahead. That they didn’t was due to a Dan Biggar penalty and a red card for Paul O’Connell which left them hanging on at the end and facing the possibility of their inspirational captain being suspended.

"Scarcely in the infancy of his comeback, and making just his second appearance for Munster since last January, O’Connell’s desperation to make up for lost time may or may not have contributed to him lashing out while being tugged from behind by Jonathan Thomas. In the process, he caught Thomas in the face with his forearm.

"O’Connell had his back turned to Thomas and it didn’t look like a red card at the time, but as ever slow-motion replays make instinctive offences look worse. The Lions captain had been on the pitch for 10 minutes but was then obliged to cut a familiarly frustrated figure for the final 10 minutes."

Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper has declared that the Wallabies are ''very confident'' about their World Cup prospects after thrashing France to conclude their European tour. The Sydney Morning Herald's Daniel Lane reports.

"Cooper said the Wallabies, who will compete in group C of next year's World Cup against Ireland, Italy, Russia and the US, had finally grasped what Deans wanted of them. And he considered it a compliment that observers were saying they could see glimpses of the Crusaders - the New Zealand-based Super Rugby franchise Deans coached to a total of five victories (three in Super 12, two in Super 14) - in the Australian team.

"We love spreading the ball, and any turnover ball we love to use that and try to exploit any weaknesses in the opposition," he said. "I think the mould is there to be a great team just like the Crusaders but we are a fair way off it. And I think that is the good thing about the Wallabies … everyone is still looking to improve and we're all very excited about our future."

"Cooper, who was reportedly offered $1.5 million over three years to switch to the Parramatta Eels, decided to remain in rugby and signed a one-year deal to play in next year's World Cup in New Zealand."

The Times' Mark Souster reports from Toulon's valuable Heineken Cup victory over London Irish.

"Jonny Wilkinson made a happy return to England yesterday and, with 14 points, helped steer Toulon to victory.

"In the process he proved conclusively, if indeed proof was needed, that anyone contemplating writing the fly half’s international obituary would be wise to reconsider. Wilkinson is about to commit himself to a new contract in the South of France, a move that will make Martin Johnson, the England team manager, think twice about not considering players based overseas.

"Wilkinson’s perfect return of four penalties and a conversion — and his overall game management — contrasted sharply with the fortunes of Ryan Lamb, his opposite number, who missed two penalty-goal attempts and failed to put his stamp on the game.

"The overall impact was that in the tournament’s tightest group, Wilkinson’s contribution to his side’s win keeps them in the hunt for qualification for the quarter-finals from pool three while London Irish’s hopes have all been extinguished, despite the late retrieval of a bonus point.

The Scotsman's Gareth Black reports as Edinburgh's euro hopes take a dive against Castres.

"There goes another year where Edinburgh have knocked themselves out of the Heineken Cup before the half-way mark in the pool stages, but what really, really frustrates Rob Moffat, the coach, is that he knows this was yet another in the season's already long catalogue of results that got away.

"...As with Glasgow against Toulouse the previous night, the issue was the set piece. For the team in the west, the problem had been the scrums, but for Edinburgh it was the lineout that misfired badly, particularly when Scott Murray was on the field and picking the ball out of the air with all the enthusiasm of a player 15 years younger than he really is before being forced off by a calf injury."

Following his exit from Strictly Come Dancing, Gavin Henson has vowed to try to get back into Wales’ Six Nations and World Cup squads. The Western Mail reports.

"The rugby star – who has not played for nearly two years – said he would be putting television to one side and concentrating on his sporting career after his Strictly Come Dancing experience helped him regain his “energy and drive”.

"Henson was eliminated from the show last night at the semi-final stage. After learning the result, he said: “I’m going to concentrate on my rugby now. I’m keen to get into the Six Nations squad and the Rugby World Cup is coming up.

“I think maybe the television side of it is not going to happen for a while now. I hadn’t played rugby for nearly two years. It was a struggle injury-wise, for my body and form. I wasn’t in a very positive place and I needed to sort that out. But I’ve got my energy and my drive back now.”

"Henson is hoping he can transfer some of his fast footwork onto the rugby field as he focuses on re-building his career."

Ospreys were handed another harsh lesson in what it takes to be a top team in Europe as they failed to overcome a misfiring Munster, the Western Mail's Andy Howell reports.

"Scott Johnson’s team did keep their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup for a fourth consecutive year by picking up a valuable losing bonus point during a bruising battle. But the truth is the Welsh flagship region were not good enough to win... again.

"Their back play was pitiful with their midfield triangle of outside-half Dan Biggar, James Hook and Andrew Bishop offering next to nothing in offence, while neither centre defended particularly well either.

"Without the individual brilliance of injured superstar Shane Williams, the limitations and lack of structure in the Ospreys’ three-quarters line, which has been an on-going theme for a number of years, was again evident."

Writing in the Independent on Sunday, Bath's David Flatman writes that he is sad that laugh-a-minute South African Luke Watson is heading home and reveals the club's current captain he has taught him that religion can be cool... almost.

"It is fair to say I have never met anyone quite like Luke. This is a man who doesn't feel nervous, ever. He smiles and laughs, all day. He loves his life. This is not a man battling with demons past, this is a man absolutely at peace with his actions and absolutely confident – certain – that things will be all right, that he will be provided for.

"Luke must have been brought up to be confident, that much is sure, but there is something else, something fortifying his strength and rock-solid assertiveness, and this is his faith. One important thing to note is that he never brings up the subject of religion, but he will gladly talk freely about his beliefs when he is asked. He describes his version of Christianity and how he has, almost, customised it to fit perfectly with his perception of the modern world.

"Now I am not a particularly spiritual person but I must say, the way he talks to me makes sense. It is less Songs of Praise than I always presumed it must be, more relaxed and accommodating. There are fewer rules and there is far more room for freedom of thought in his world than there was at my Sunday school as a child. It's almost cool. Almost."

Is there room for both Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood in the current England set-up? © Getty Images

Jonny Wilkinson's abscence through injury has liberated Toby Flood and England and it is now time for Martin Johnson to be ruthless, according to the Sunday Telegraph's Paul Ackford.

"Wilkinson is back in action this afternoon for Toulon against London Irish and no doubt the gilded one will accrue points, make tackles and drive his team on in exemplary fashion. But, in an England context, as Martin Johnson’s squad seek to accelerate their rate of progress leading into next year’s World Cup, is the presence of Wilkinson now more of a hindrance than a help?

"Dan Carter says help. “Jonny still has an international future,” said New Zealand’s outside-half, before leapfrogging him to become Test rugby’s most ruthless points accumulator. “He is a quality player and, come pressure situations like World Cups, he is so valuable. He still has more matches to play and more points to score.”

"Wilkinson’s ability to come off the bench and knock over testing, important penalties, as he did at the end of last season’s Six Nations to get England within two points of France with 12 minutes remaining, would appear to validate Carter’s position.

"No other England-qualified player gets remotely close to Wilkinson when it comes to dead-eyed Dickiness. Flood or Wilkinson to land the dropped goal or penalty to win a game with the last kick? There’s no debate. Yet that is not a reason to hang on to Wilkinson as a squad member. Quite the opposite. It is the reason to get shot of him."

The Irish Times' Gerry Thornley tackles the difficult task of selecting the best Irish XV of all time.

"It says something about the choices at midfield and secondrow that they provoked the least debate amongst us and the entries. Indeed, it says everything about the choice at outside centre that some bloke called O’Driscoll prompted no debate whatsoever and polled the highest (98 per cent).

"The great one was the people’s choice and alongside him Mike Gibson provoked almost as little discussion and polled 81 per cent in what is a mouth-watering midfield combination.

"Similarly, there was little argument over the secondrow pairing of Willie John McBride and Paul O’Connell (second most popular pick at 86 per cent).

"Then it started to get trickier. Surprised as we were about the top five at fullback, and particularly no Jim Staples, we eventually settled on Tom Kiernan. He played on the Irish team almost unbroken for 14 years, and though he only scored his first try in his last international, allowance had to be made for him coming from the era of a non-attacking fullback."

All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina is snowed under with offers from European clubs who want him after the World Cup next year. David Long reports for the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It is understood Welsh club Ospreys are leading the chase for Muliaina, with the Swansea-based side looking at him as a replacement for Wales and Lions fullback Lee Byrne. Clermont coach Vern Cotter wants to take Byrne to France but the Ospreys will only allow that if they can find a suitable replacement for him and that's where Muliaina fits in.

"This week relations between the Ospreys and Byrne turned sour with the club threatening to fine him after he went AWOL for a scheduled doctor's appointment following a thumb injury picked up in last month's Test against the All Blacks. The incident is likely to hasten Byrne's departure and increase their desire to grab Muliaina.

"A number of other high-profile European clubs are in the hunt and it leaves the Invercargill-raised star in a great position when it comes to negotiating the best deal.

"Muliaina was in France last week on promotional duties for adidas and said he'd always been keen on the French lifestyle."

The abiding memory of the recent autumn internationals was not the excellence of the rugby but the great swathes of empty seats in every direction. The Scotsman's Iain Morrison reports.

"There are both general reasons and country or club-specific excuses behind the dip in crowd numbers. In Ireland it was a crazy ticketing scheme that alienated fans at a time of drastic belt-tightening. In Wales they haven't won a match in their last seven outings. Meanwhile, the Scottish public have never really bought into professional rugby and Edinburgh Rugby also angered a section of their fans by withdrawing their bar facilities.

"But there are other universal reasons that turn off the fans and chief amongst them is the proliferation of matches, especially at international level, although talk in England about expanding to a 14-team Premiership should have alarm bells ringing.

"Ireland, Wales and England all insist on playing four rather than three autumn Tests so elbowing their way into what should be a club weekend and money is at the nub of it. The RFU pays for additional access to its players by splitting the receipts from the fourth Test with the Premiership clubs while Wales and Ireland both have debt to pay down thanks to their new stadiums. Only Scotland have resisted the fourth Test but that is due to the obvious lack of demand more than any noble restraint."

The Independent on Sunday's Hugh Godwin reports that Andy Powell has moved on from the infamous golf-buggy incident and is flying at Wasps ahead of his side's Heineken Cup clash with the Dragons.

"Andy Powell knew he would be treading the green, green grass of home this afternoon, and though the venue for Wasps' Heineken Cup match has changed from Newport Gwent Dragons' Rodney Parade to the Cardiff City Stadium, the sentiment is the same.

"The much-travelled Welsh No 8 is happy to visit when playing for his London employers, or when he is needed by his country, and one day he will settle down in his Brecon birthplace. Otherwise there is no going back. "I'll start talking with Wasps over Christmas," says Powell. "I'd like to see out my rugby-playing career here."

"Knowing the history of this 29-year-old Wasp who trains in Acton, plays in High Wycombe and lives in Westminster, where a taxi driver might think Rodney Parade is the Dragons' star player, he is, it is fair to say, very Welsh. He is, by turns, wistful, warm, impulsive, barmy. Twp, they'd say, in Welsh. In London, maybe, lively or lairy."

Such was the intensity of autumn engagement that many teams return to European action nursing injuries and fearing the worst. The Observers' Eddie Butler writes.

"You can't avoid the feeling that the return to Heineken Cup action this weekend lacks its customary edge. Europe still seems to be, if not reeling from, then certainly rocked by what happened in November's rounds of international matches. France, in particular, were left gasping in defeat by the Wallabies. The final few minutes of that game could well exert an influence for months to come.

"Now may be a good time to exploit French fragility. If only London Irish were not wobbling a bit themselves, they might fancy giving Toulon a bit of a run-around in Reading.

"If it is possible to travel to the formidable Stade Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand with a fair degree of confidence, then Leinster, whose coach, Joe Schmidt, used to be the backs coach at Clermont Auvergne, could well be in the right mood. They will be telling themselves that they have already won away, at Saracens, without Brian O'Driscoll.

"Dealing with the fall-out of November is going to be an issue everywhere. Wales managed a single draw from four matches in the month but have generally not been deafened by calls for a coaching cull, which must come as a bit of a relief for Warren Gatland."

Andy Farrell's teenage son Owen has made the most of his opportunities at Saracens this season © Getty Images

It is early days but Saracens' Owen Farrell already taking big strides in dad Andy's footsteps. The Daily Telegraph's Mick Cleary writes.

"As the Farrell family packed their bags five years ago and prepared to head out of Wigan for a new life down south, there was only one objector – 13-year-son Owen.

"We had to drag him with us, kicking and screaming,” said dad Andy, itching at that time to launch himself into a new career in rugby union. “He didn’t want to leave his mates in rugby league.”

"Small wonder given that Owen had grown up at the knee of some of the greatest players in that sport, being taken along to training at Central Park before he was barely out of nappies.

“He was dropping goals by the time he was two years old,” said Farrell snr, now the Saracens coach overseeing Owen as the 19-year-old fly-half, catapulted into the first team because of an injury crisis, starts again in that pivotal position against Racing Metro 92 on Saturday afternoon. “He was always there, as a four, five, six year-old, not just with a ball in his hand but asking questions, too. Mind you, he’s a proper Hertfordshire lad, now, with a dead posh accent. He’s definitely not a Wigan boy any more.”

Writing in the Irish Times, Gerry Thornley previews Munster's Heineken Cup showdon with the Ospreys in Limerick on Sunday.

"Thomond Park has often spooked visiting teams from almost the moment they step into the Munster citadel, and even though the Limerick venue and the city almost assumes a different persona on Heineken Cup days, familiarity through the Magners League makes the Ospreys more dangerous tomorrow.

"Compare and contrast, say, to the first-day nerves when Toulon came to Thomond Park (or indeed Racing-Metro to the RDS). For the Ospreys, the rout in the quarter-finals here two years ago probably remains their most sour memory of recent times, establishing Munster as something of a Euro benchmark for them, and this was put to good effect when they won in the league at Thomond last season.

"That was part of a three-game, week-long Irish tour which also took in a win over Ulster, and though they lost to Leinster, subsequently avenged that defeat in the Magners League Grand Final. Mentally, it was a very significant week for the Welsh region."

The Ospreys' Mike Phillips has never shied away from a confrontation in his life and he certainly isn’t going to start now. The Western Mail's Simon Thomas reports.

"The Wales and Lions scrum-half prides himself on his ability to withstand any kind of physical and mental intimidation on or off a rugby field.

"The pressure of Grand Slam games, Lions Test matches and even the personal criticism he endured over his performances for Wales during the autumn are all part and parcel of his career.

"So Phillips’ assertion that the Ospreys’ Heineken Cup double-header against Munster, over the next two weeks, is the defining moment of their season shouldn’t be dismissed"

Northampton's down-to-earth set-up should ensure England players don't let fame go to their heads. The Independent's Chris Hewett reports.

"The American jockey Eddie Arcaro knew a thing or two about success: he rode almost 5,000 winners, bagged two Stateside Triple Crowns – one more than anyone else, ever – and rattled off classic victories in the routine way a bingo caller might mumble his numbers into a muffled microphone.

"Once a guy starts wearing silk pyjamas, it's hard to get up early," he said when asked to reflect on the difficulty of keeping things in perspective. Right now, the best rugby team in England have a number of players in silk pyjamas.

"Ben Foden, the full-back; the wing Chris Ashton; Dylan Hartley, the hooker; the lock Courtney Lawes ... suddenly, these young men are the talk of every clubhouse in Christendom. And they all play for Northampton, who have some very important business on their agenda, not least this evening's Heineken Cup meeting with Cardiff Blues at Franklin's Gardens and the return leg in the Welsh capital in eight days' time. Will the red-rose quartet revisit the heights they scaled in helping England to that startling victory over the Wallabies last month, or will they, to pinch Arcaro's metaphor, stay in bed?"

France rugby's version of Manchester City - Racing Metro - have huge ambitions for the future, have dropped the good-time image and they also play in sky blue. The Guardian's Rob Kitson reports.

"It has, by Parisian standards, been a quiet revolution. Nothing too flashy or triumphalist, no provocative celebrations. Even so, in years to come rugby historians will regard the past seven days as hugely significant in terms of the European club game. A sky-blue power is starting to emerge within French rugby and the implications on both sides of the Channel threaten to be seismic and long-lasting.

"An exaggeration? Not if a multimillionaire named Jacky Lorenzetti has his way. The real estate magnate is one of France's wealthiest men; three years ago he was estimated to be worth about €700m (£587m). Having sold 93% of his company, Foncia, at the height of the property boom in 2007, he has poured bucketloads into Racing Métro 92, an amalgamated club better known for Racing's evocative past than their more recent accomplishments."

Peter Borlase mixes it with Ben Daley on his Munster debut © Getty Images

David Kelly meets Munster's 'special project', prop Peter Borlase, in The Irish Independent.

"Not even an earthquake could prepare Peter Borlase for Thomond Park.

"After a tremor measuring a ground-shattering 7.1 on the Richter Scale ripped through the 25-year-old's house in Christchurch last September, Borlase could have been forgiven for thinking that such convulsions would become a thing of the past.

"That was before he stepped on to the sacred Limerick turf, a New Zealander defying Australia in the red of Munster, an unforgettable debut highlighted by an outrageous kick-chase and an even more sensational scrap with a gold-shirted opponent."

Chris Hewett offers his pool by pool form guide ahead of the latest Heineken Cup showdowns in The Independent.

"Damned clever, the Heineken Cup. Europe's premier club tournament launches itself in mid-autumn with a fanfare of trumpets and an entire season's worth of razzamatazz, yet it keeps its true nature hidden until the dark days of winter, when the contenders play a series of back-to-back matches that invariably dictate the future course of the competition.

"The central section of this season's pool stage begins tonight with Glasgow welcoming Toulouse, the champions, to the Arctic outpost of Firhill Stadium, but if the temperatures north of the border are at rock bottom, the mercury will rise very rapidly over the weekend when the leading clubs from four of the six pools meet in a series of highly significant contests."

Wasps coach Shaun Edwards previews the latest round of Heineken Cup action in The Guardian.

"This is it. A fortnight of the best in club rugby. From Perpignan in the deep south of France to Limerick in the west of Ireland, via Viadana in Lombardy, the cream of Europe goes head to head. In my experience only back-to-back Tests with the Lions creates such concentrated pressure.

"This is when teams with a history use their heads and when the new kids on the block discover whether they are learning fast enough. An away win is heaven; even a bonus point on the road and you're doing somersaults. Lose at home and you're looking at a bleak Christmas.

"If you think I'm exaggerating then look at the fixture list: Northampton v Cardiff Blues, Saracens v Racing Métro, Perpignan v Leicester … and that's just tomorrow. On Sunday Munster welcome the assembled stars of the Ospreys to Thomond, London Irish have Toulon, Jonny and assorted galácticos at the Madejski while Clermont Auvergne host Leinster and the ghosts of last season."

Chris Rattue offers a few helpful hints to aid your enjoyment of rugby in 2011 in The New Zealand Herald.

"'Tis the off-season to be jolly. The national obsession has a wee rest before things get scary next year.

"This World Cup journey will not click slowly through the gears. The game will start in fourth gear come February, and hit overdrive by about March. Hang on to your hats, folks.

"Anyway, rules are always the talking point in union, a sport that is only unified on one matter - being unhappy with the rules. So here are seven suggested rule changes to make the game better - and better still you don't need to leave home to try them."

Does a relatively low crowd for the game against the Springboks suggest the end is near for the Barbarians? © Getty Images

Writing in the Irish Independent, Peter Bills believes a disappointing crowd at Twickenham last weekend suggests we should call time on the Barbarians.

"The Barbarians' concept might remain OK for the crusty colonels who still limp along in their wake, their ageing hip bones slowing them to the extent that they have become a mere appendage to a once great club.

"But you know a concept -- an ideal -- is in trouble when the public no longer buys into it. And, in the words of one commentator, the "sparse crowd" at Twickenham last weekend to see the last rites of the South Africans' tour heightened my sense that this whole Barbarians thing is an outdated idea, past its sell-by date.

"You can dredge any memory from the long years of fun this club has had and the pleasures it gave to untold numbers. Those Barbarians tours of Wales over the four days of Easter attracted many of the game's finest players and served to underline the sense of fun that was rugby football."

Munster stalwart Paul O'Connell is ready to return to rugby's front line but may not make the the starting XV for this weekend's Heineken Cup clash with the Ospreys. The Irish Times' John Sullivan reports.

"Paul O'Connell has never shied away from a challenge so there was only ever going to be one answer to a query about whether he would be capable of starting Sunday’s Heineken Cup match against the Ospreys at Thomond Park.

"He would feel confident – but he expanded on that assertion by explaining the situation is unlikely to arise this weekend.

"Individually praising Munster’s roster of secondrows by name and singling out attributes he added that half a match for Young Munster and his provincial return to competitive rugby against Cardiff last weekend, again as a replacement, is not a sufficiently compelling argument to muscle his way past other contenders. The bench is his likely starting point."

Players and fans alike know that rugby and ice hockey are contact sports, and skating allows you to show off your elegant moves. But what if you combined them? Sport24 reports.

"The apparently madcap theory has been turned into reality by Pole Adam Golab, who has rolled his sporting passions into one.

"I've been skating for 23 years. It's the kind of passion that you can’t just leave behind," Golab told the Krakow Post, and English-language newspaper published in the southern Polish city.

But Golab also loves rugby union. He used to play for Krakow's Juvenia, a member of Poland's eight-club top flight.

"The combination came together when four years ago we came up with the idea for a freestyle skating club," he told the Krakow Post.

Messing around on the ice, Golab brought along a rugby ball and started teaching fellow-skaters the basics.

"That was when it came to us that rugby on ice skates could be a truly amazing sport," he said."

The Independent's Peter Bills believes the International Rugby Board should be praised for punishing sub-standard refereeing.

"Some of the game’s authorities may still appear mired in the 19th century, but for the referees, the reality of a modern day professional sport has arrived with a rude shock.

"Take the South African refereeing duo, Marius Jonker and Mark Lawrence who took charge of internationals in the recently completed autumn Test series. Both have been axed from the world referees’ panel for the 6 Nations Championship in the New Year.

"The duo, heavily criticised for poor performances in the November Tests, have not even been chosen as assistant referees for the 15-match programme starting in February.

"Fellow South African officials Craig Joubert and Jonathan Kaplan are included, Joubert’s two games against one for Kaplan confirming him as that country’s top referee heading into World Cup year.

"...But for the South Africans Lawrence and Jonker, there is only the reality that they have been left out in the cold. And their chances of officiating at the World Cup have clearly been damaged."

Gavin Henson is determined to use Saracens as a springboard back to the top of the game © Getty Images

Gavin Henson is desperate to put aside his fake tan and thrive in the harsh reality of rugby with Saracens and Wales. The Daily Telegraph's Mick Cleary reports.

"In the icy wastelands of Wembley Stadium on Monday Gavin Henson stated in unequivocal terms that he wants to become the best player in the world, compete for another 10 years at the highest level, try to win more Six Nations titles and fulfil ambitions at World Cups as well as for the Lions and, of course, see off all-comers in Strictly Come Dancing.

"But first he had to catch a hard-cased football hurtling down towards him from a crane perched in the cloudy mists 102 metres above the Wembley concourse.

"He did, eventually, as did former England goalkeeper, David Seaman, setting a world record for the highest catch and broke no fingers to the relief of his fretful employers at Saracens watching from afar on TV. It was a surreal experience. Just another day in the life of Gavin."

The New Zealand Herald's Chris Rattue suggests seven rule changes to make the game better - and better still you don't need to leave home to try them.

"FAST FORWARD BY REWIND - Get old rugby tapes and see how bad the game used to be. You don't even need to bother granddad for his home-made movies of the 1956 Bok tour. Video of the 2007 World Cup will do.

"CUT THE CLAPTRAP - Hit the off button as soon as you hear the final whistle. Post-match interviews with rugby players are an absolute killer.

"GET RADIO ACTIVE - Radio commentary allows you to do real life and rugby at the same time. Radio commentators tend to be very upbeat - they take life less seriously because they have to on their wages. Most television commentators sound as if they are trying to enjoy the game. Radio commentators sound as if they actually are.

"WORK HARDER ON SNACKS - Better snacks make better All Blacks."

Like it or not, South Africa won’t alter their approach dramatically for the World Cup defence next year, according to Sport24's Rob Houwing.

"Don’t get me wrong, whether they hold onto the Webb Ellis Cup in New Zealand or not, I believe South Africa will be gently coaxed toward a more expansive philosophy in the aftermath.

"By that stage their personnel, both playing component and management, will probably be subject to wholesale change anyway, and all the fresh possibilities that situation will entail.

"But before that? No way. With so many of their successful class of 2007 still calling the shots to a strong degree in 2011, expect wholly normal service (direct, no-frills, permissibly “violent” rugby, if you like).

"The only way the Boks are going to abandon their existing template in favour of a new way is if Peter de Villiers gets the chop ahead of the next international season – increasingly unlikely now, it seems – and a true “run it, run it, run it” romantic like Basil Bey is appointed in his place."

John Barclay's continuing progress towards world-class status will see him named Scotland captain within a few years, according to a former holder of the post. The Scotsman's Stuart Bathgate reports.

"Seventy-five-times capped Gordon Bulloch believes the Glasgow flanker's leadership is quickly becoming as impressive as his defensive abilities, and thinks that if Barclay and his team-mates play at the top of their form they have a chance of upsetting Toulouse when the Heineken Cup resumes on Friday.

"He's an exceptional talent," said Bulloch, who retired from playing last season and is now a non-executive member of the Scottish Rugby Board. "It's great for Glasgow and for rugby in Scotland that John has opted to play at home for a while longer.

"His defensive qualities are remarkable and his leadership qualities are really developing now as well. I can see him being Scotland captain in two or three years."

"Barclay, 24, signed a new two-year deal this year with Glasgow, the team he joined as an apprentice six years ago. An outstanding performer in Scotland's recent win over South Africa at Murrayfield, he will have to play to a similar standard against the French club at Firhill, according to Bulloch, if Glasgow are to keep their Heineken hopes alive."

John Fogarty was recently forced to retire due to concussion © Getty Images

Gerry Thornley looks closer at the recent spate of concussions to have affected the game in The Irish Times.

"When rugby historians look back on this era of the game they will hopefully cite John Fogarty and Bernard Jackman as having been saviours of a sort. That their harrowing and cautionary tales of how they and other players have lived in denial about the consequences of concussion prompted the authorities to establish medical protocols which better safeguarded future generations of players.

"Failing that, it will have been due to something far worse. And that doesn’t bear thinking about. Quite simply, all sports have a duty of care to their protagonists. Indeed, that is their first duty. All else is secondary. In talking at length with consultant neurosurgeon Prof Jack Phillips last week, who outlined the protocols which exist in boxing and horse racing, it was no surprise to learn those two sports – arguably the most dangerous sports in the world – were 20 years and counting ahead of other sports."

Marc Hinton talks to new North Harbour coach Liam Barry about the challenges ahead for the province on stuff.co.nz

"Some would call it a poisoned chalice. But not new North Harbour rugby coach Liam Barry who's too much of an optimist to take that dim view.

"Either that or too much of a Harbour lifer to ever regard the chance to coach the province's finest with anything but relish and reverence. Barry, the one-test All Black flanker from the '90s and currently assistant coach with Pat Lam at the Blues, was announced yesterday as new coach of North Harbour for the next three years.

"He takes over from former All Black prop Craig Dowd who presided over two miserable seasons where Harbour finished 11th this year and 12th in '09, with 4-9 records in both campaigns."

Mick Cleary takes a look at the ins and outs of Brendan Venter's run-ins with the authorities following the news that the Saracens boss is to return to South Africa in The Daily Telegraph.

"It is not often that Brendan Venter is reported as missing in action. The Cape Town doctor may be gentle with his patients but in every sphere in rugby he is tough, unrelenting and hard-nosed, the first man out of the trenches.

"But his chair was empty on Sunday at Vicarage Road, eventually filled by his right-hand man at Saracens, head coach Mark McCall, the former Ulster and Ireland centre who will take over the director of rugby reins from Venter when he returns home to South Africa for personal reasons in the New Year.

"Venter was not talking to the media on Sunday, as he hasn’t done since being slapped with a 25,000 euro (£21,000) fine (60 per cent of which has been suspended) for supposedly speaking ill of European Rugby Cup. “Inappropriately critical,” they called it as they slapped him down. How dispiriting a gesture. How limiting and deflating, all the more so given that Montpellier were fined 5,000 euro for submitting a deliberately under-strength squad for this season’s Amlin Challenge Cup. Now, that really does undermine a competition."

Tony Ward believes that Connacht are edging closer to an even playing field with Ireland's big three in The Irish Independent.

"It was a bitingly cold weekend for rugby fans everywhere, except, we suspect, out west. For sure, Connacht's struggle to stay the professional pace has not been fixed through the stroke of an IRFU pen but a big step forward has been made.

"Ireland's fourth proud province now have a fighting chance against the rest. As one who suffered at the hands of Connacht -- being part of a Munster team that passed the 'world champion' mantle to the men from the west the year after we beat the All Blacks -- I know that pride cuts every bit as deep in Connacht rugby as it does elsewhere.

"The demographics may differ but the desire to compete and, on occasion, savour success, is every bit the same as it is with Ireland's big Heineken Cup three. How fitting it is to have Eric Elwood at the helm, a man who epitomises everything positive about Connacht rugby -- a man who wore his heart on his sleeve as a player and continues to do so as head coach."

The IRB should have learned lessons last week, according to Brian Moore © Getty Images

Brian Moore sounds a word of warning to the IRB following the recent farce involving the FIFA World Cup in The Daily Telegraph.

"It has been easy to criticise the recent ignoble Fifa charade and the hypocritical way the FA was prepared to endorse a seemingly corrupt system, only complaining when decisively humiliated by the result.

"It was to our eternal shame that what the FA believed was the footballing national interest was allowed to hijack the true national interest.

"The willingness to spend ruinously on a bid that, if successful, would have forced the country to accept, without debate or vote, the suspension or amendment of our laws on tax, intellectual property, employment and human rights was reprehensible and that is before you add the ignominy of our future sovereign and Prime Minister kowtowing to dishonourable bigots."

Peter Bills laments the rip-off culteure set to grip New Zealand during next year's Rugby World Cup in The Irish Independent.

"Heading for New Zealand and the 2011 World Cup? Be prepared for a shock. The rugby-mad nation at the far end of the earth, isolated from just about everywhere, looks likely to become just another of the world's great rip-offs.

"The country that used to wear a warm smile on its face, welcome visitors and treat them like royalty, is sleep walking into acquiring such an unwanted reputation worldwide.

"The price of ordinary everyday articles and living costs horrified me on a trip there this year. I've been there, admired the place and loved the people since 1975. I wasn't even put off by my first ever weekend in New Zealand -- seven inches of rain in 24 hours and sitting shin-deep in water at Eden Park as the All Blacks aquaplaned past Scotland."

Gavin Rich reviews the highs and lows of South Africa's end of year tour on Supersport.

"irst up, let it be said that this was not a tour plagued by the sort of controversies that have tended to follow Peter de Villiers around during his three years as Bok coach. Part of that might be because a lot of the British media interest over the past month has been focused on the Ashes rather than rugby, another part of it might be down to the excellent coaching that De Villiers received from communications manager Andy Colquhoun.

"But De Villiers also deserves kudos for the way he has pulled his act together when it comes to answering questions from the media. While what he says may at times be debated, the way he said it did not leave him open to sanction from an administration that are known to have laid down the law in a very strict way on his verbal outbursts.

"That said, there are still too many question marks over the Bok performances for De Villiers to be safe in everyone’s eyes, and arguably only a completed Grand Slam could have seen him arrive home with complete faith restored after the disasters of the Tri-Nations season."

The Welsh players reflect on their draw with Fiji during a poor autumn campaign © Getty Images

Wales legend Barry John says that Welsh rugby will be eager to return to domestic matters following another disappointing set of autumn internationals and he is backing the Scarlets to lead the regions’ charge in Europe, in his column for Wales on Sunday.

“With the Heineken Cup resuming next weekend, I suspect the bulk of the Wales players are glad to be back with their regions and in fresh surroundings.

I think they [the Tri-Nations sides] are treating these European tours now as end of season jaunts where they can test out a few youngsters and see if they are up to Test match rugby. And this is one of the reasons why there’s a tedious feel to the autumn programme these days, especially from Wales’ point of view….

If there’s one Welsh region I do fancy [to qualify for the next stages of the Heineken Cup], it’s the Scarlets.

They were written off as a force in Europe at the start of the season but youngsters like George North, Ben Morgans, Jonathan Davies and Rob McCusker have been at the forefront of them defying their critics.

Yes, they were handsomely beaten by Leicester, and the Tigers will go on to win the group, I’m sure. But after beating Perpignan I think Nigel Davies’ men can give themselves a great chance of qualifying if they can get 10 points from their upcoming matches against Treviso.”

In the Independent on Sunday Hugh Godwin highlights England's midfield and back-row as areas of potential weakness following their autumn campaign.

"The scrum strained against the Springboks and though the back row of Tom Croft, Lewis Moody and Nick Easter has a broad balance, it lacks the skills of an openside fetcher and passer in the mould of Australia's David Pocock. Of course Johnson may have noted Pocock did little damage against England. So while Croft recuperates from a fractured shoulder it may be Northampton's Tom Wood and not the more classic No 7s, Steffon Armitage or Tom Rees, who has a place in January's England squad to play for.

Chris Ashton, who went 80 yards of the 95 for his try against the Australians and the most thrilling moment of England's autumn, has claims to being the most exciting back in the Premiership, though he has some learning to do in attack and defence.

He came up with the quote of the autumn too after inadvertently nutting Victor Matfield's hip. Staggering to his feet, he was ordered to name the months of the year. "January, February, March..." he said. "Now backwards," said the medic. With a Peter Kay-quality put-down, he scoffed: "I don't know them backwards when I've not been hit on the head."

Twickenham man and woman were smiling again at the counter-attacking approach of the back three of Ben Foden, Mark Cueto and Ashton. And Johnson had his own laugh after the 26-13 win over Samoa, goading the press for being slow to recognise Shontayne Hape's skills. A skinny six tries in four home matches suggests England's brawny centres, Hape, Mike Tindall and Matt Banahan, could do with some subtler touches, but from whom? Wasps' Dom Waldouck looked classy last year but he and club-mate Riki Flutey, plus Mathew Tait, have been flitting in and out of fitness.

Some of the best Premiership centres and wings are Samoan."

Writing in the Independent on Sunday, Bath prop David Flatman was bowled over by the the physicality of the recent autumn internationals with New Zealand again setting the standard.

"Southerners are supposed to be soft, right? Well, could somebody please contact the All Blacks and Springboks and request they relearn their roles? You see I'd hoped these men would step off the plane at Heathrow, be hit by a chilly southwesterly and immediately begin pining for home. Sadly, my hopes were not realised.

This series of autumn internationals were, to me, more interesting than any other Test matches we have seen since the last World Cup. The All Blacks arrived with their famous aura badly dented after a loss to Australia and the Boks only brought half a team. The Aussies, on the other hand, were still stinging from their defeat to England in Sydney last June. So for once, no team seemed unbeatable.

Predictably, though, the Kiwis rode roughshod over everyone. This isn't to say they crushed all before them – in England's case, far from it – but the ease with which they seemed able to knock it up a gear or two to get the job done was quite frightening….

So the All Blacks quietly boarded the plane home having won all four from four. We may have beaten the team that beat the All Blacks but, as yet, we haven't quite managed to beat them ourselves for a good while. This will need to change if our fortunes are to improve. The Boks tend to beat them with grunt, the Aussies with fleet of foot. I think I saw the makings of England's winning formula in the second half at Twickers: a good bit of northern grit should do the trick."

Ireland’s mixed form on the pitch is of limited concern compared to the financial perils facing clubs at all levels in the country, according to George Hook in the Irish Independent.

"It has been difficult to concentrate on rugby this past week. There was something strange about watching 30 grown men brawling for a pigskin when the country was being reduced to a feudal state of Europe. So far, and it may only be temporary, rugby has partially avoided the worst of the economic calamity. However, the full effects cannot be long in coming.

The IRFU's well-meaning policy of selling tickets through its constituent clubs was laudable and endeavoured to put the tickets in the hands of people who contributed to the game.

However, an ill-advised pricing plan based on the experience of different economic times has created a financial catastrophe for clubs. Anecdotal evidence suggests that even junior clubs are carrying losses of up to €50,000 on unsold tickets for the autumn campaign just ended.

There is a suggestion of an indemnity from the IRFU but as yet it remains unclear as to how it will work. Either way, the losses will either appear on the books of the clubs or the parent body.
Rugby, as the IRFU consistently reminded minister Eamon Ryan in the free-to-air debate, is Ireland's only professional sport. With an election on the way, the government will have more important fish to fry than worrying about what television channel hosts international rugby. The powers that be in Lansdowne Road will be able to plan on a continuing revenue stream from broadcasting rights but other revenues will be under pressure.

As of this week, every club contacted by this newspaper was willing to sell its international tickets to the highest bidder. Club officials had simply no faith that members would stump up for even reduced-price tickets, the IRFU's belated reaction to the November shambles. Honorary treasurers up and down the country were frantic to offload a possible financial headache. France may have been exciting opponents in the glory days, but the prospect of a full house for Marc Lievremont's team was deemed unlikely."

Nick Evans has been in scintilating form for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership © Getty Images

Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Wynne Gray suggests that former All Blacks should be allowed to grace the international stage.

"Used, discarded, had enough or want a change. The reasons don't matter. There are plenty of All Blacks who have chosen to finish their careers elsewhere, or had that decision made for them by the selectors.

Many are still playing quality rugby for clubs in Europe or Japan, but are unable to taste any more international action.

New Zealand has maintained its policy of picking All Blacks who are playing in domestic competitions while the IRB is sticking resolutely to its rule of one player, one nation.

A bunch of others who have not played for the All Blacks this year or for some time - Casey Laulala, Sam Tuitupou, Doug Howlett, Sione Lauaki, Anthony Tuitavake, Rodney So'oialo, Chris Masoe, Jerry Collins, Soseni Anesi, Rudi Wulf, John Schwalger and Ross Filipo - would bolster the Pacific island sides. They would bring greater depth to the World Cup and even more interest.

If they have been unwanted by the All Blacks for a year or more, why not let them play for another nation? Let them represent a Six Nations side if they are keen to have them.
Let England choose Nick Evans for the World Cup. He has made his choice to stay and play for Harlequins, he has been off the New Zealand scene for three years, so why cut him out of the international landscape?"

Tony Ward argues in the Irish Independent that the IRB should reasses summer and winter tours and consider a single global season.

We understand the money-making principle behind the June and November Test Series, but we are recognising a rugby dud for what it is. The swathes of empty seats are a reflection of tough financial times but also a timely reminder to the world governing body and individual Unions that punters will no longer be duped into paying big money to see games. The goose is fast running out of golden eggs.

The fact that the All Blacks, at their exhilarating best this year, failed to fill the 50,000-capacity Aviva Stadium tells you all you need to know about the economic climate and growing apathy.

The time has come for the IRB and its major Unions to rethink the entire touring process. A single global season running concurrently is an impossibility, but more meaningful single-country tours are not.

Those so privileged to be present when Munster again beat the Wallabies on a bitter November night were reminded what touring once was and what it can, with the right vision and planning, again be.

Writing in the Western Mail Rhodri Morgan argues that Warren Gatland must instill a ruthless edge to his current Welsh squad.

They say rugby is a game played in the top two inches.

Wales got themselves into a position, where they could have beaten any one out of South Africa, Australia or New Zealand, but they blew it and who cares about the “could haves”?

Imagine if Australia were 13-12 down to the All Blacks, but the All Blacks were 14-15 down in players on the field and have just given away a penalty and their heads are down, not panicking but definitely down. Australia would have won from there because they would have smelt blood. They would have said to each other: “Turn the Screw – turn the Screw!”

We didn’t nail it. We helped them back into the game and pretty soon they looked invincible again.

Mind you, looking ahead to the World Cup, we’ve got a pretty settled front five. Lydiate and Warburton look like the first choice flankers. The number 8 shirt could go to four or five players. The best choice back division is still very unclear. George North solves one problem but Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips are still not back to their Lions form. I don’t envy Warren Gatland his job. He has to instil that “yes we can” psychology and overcome white line fever.

Writing in The Scotsman, Allan Massie says that the autumn internationals have shown that the north-south divide is as wide as ever, but that should not detract from what should be a fascinating Six Nations.

"There is, sadly, little sign that the gap between the north and south is closing. That must be the conclusion after the autumn internationals.

New Zealand were unbeaten, and scarcely ever stretched. South Africa lost to Scotland and Australia to England. On the last weekend the All Blacks strolled to victory in Cardiff, where the final score of 37-25 flattered Wales, South Africa brought the England revival to a shuddering halt, and Australia, playing sublime rugby in the second- half, annihilated France, Six Nations champions and Grand Slam winners. If we try to persuade ourselves that the gap is not still very wide, we shall never close it. Sure, we in the north enjoy the occasional victory but "occasional" is the word. Remember: in these autumn games we enjoy home advantage, and almost always still lose.

We can, however, forget about the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies for a few months and concentrate on the Six Nations. The tournament will, as ever, be gripping and enjoyable. No matter if six nations produce rugby half the quality provided by half the number of teams in the Tri-Nations."

England's Toby Flood took a serious knock to the head during the defeat by the Boks © Getty Images

In his column in The Independent, England fly-half Toby Flood reveals he remembers little from last weekend's defeat by the Springboks after taking a blow to the head.

"It was only when I was coming away from Twickenham last Saturday that I became fully aware of what exactly happened in the final game of our Investec Internationals. Obviously, I soon became aware that England were beaten 21-11 by South Africa but the details of the game escaped me at the time.

"I took a bang in a collision with Bismarck Du Plessis, the Springbok hooker, and that was kind of the end of the afternoon for me. I felt all right at the time. I just couldn't remember everything that happened in the game

"It's massively frustrating that we finished the autumn series with a defeat. We really wanted to judge ourselves on the last game. We did not get out of the blocks well enough in our opener against New Zealand but I think had we ended up winning three from four we would have been in a relatively happy place. As it was, we lost to South Africa."

Writing in The Guardian, Shaun Edwards claims that if the World Cup started tomorrow, the Springboks, with their pride under pressure, would make the final.

"If you want to know about pressure and sport, then take a look at any Springbok side, but particularly the one that has been over here this autumn.

"Anyone who has toured South Africa understands part – the overt part – of it; rugby isn't just on the back page of the papers, it's on the front and takes up a huge part of the inside pages as well. The fans are impossibly passionate and they don't tolerate failure. Nor it seems does the government.

"How do I know this? Well, at the post-match dinner following the 21-11 win at Twickenham a member of the team's management panel let it slip when he apologised for his behaviour after Willem Alberts finally got over the England line with almost three-quarters of the game gone. It wasn't just that it was a good try, or that the 115kg back-row had come off the bench to score for the third weekend in succession. It was the relief. Apparently in the run-up to the game, members of the Springbok management had received about 10 texts "from the very highest level" back home warning that, after Murrayfield, another defeat was unacceptable and that resignations would be required."

The Irish Independent argues that the influx of so many props from overseas of a questionable quality into the provincial scene will have a negative affect on the national team.

"There was this Aussie guy whose brief dalliance with the All-Ireland League 12 years ago encapsulated Irish rugby's ongoing problem with overseas players.

"He arrived over on a sweet, free-rent, match-bonus deal, looking every inch the top-quality centre who was ready to dance across the muddy waters of the AIL. The Aussie's first league match came at a windswept Holmpatrick where, with his first touch, he surged from his own '22' right up to the Skerries try-line only to knock on in contact.

"A wonderful effort, by any standards, but the knock-on told the truer story and, as his lack of ability became woefully apparent over the next few months, the Aussie lost his starting place and his bonus and had to get a job in Xtra-vision to pay his rent.

"He was a pleasant bloke, but quickly turned into a cautionary tale in the AIL, and a sad figure around the club, where he became known as 'One Great Run'. The 'One Great Run' phenomenon has been a feature of Irish rugby for at least 15 years and has persevered into the professional era."

In his weekly column in the Irish Times, rugby analyst Liam Toland argues that while the game in Ireland has travelled an unbelievable distance during the Celtic Tiger, many threats are now closing in on the country's fourth most popular sport.

"The threats will come from several quarters. Many of our top players have tasted success at a very young age and no longer have the incentive of winning the European Cup in an Irish provincial jersey. Tommy Bowe has shown that success is not exclusive to the provinces. French rugby will chip away at our best talent. They have the finances to hurt the IRFU funding.

"They also have a real insight into our game with the likes of Michael Cheika at Stade Francais. Will the IRFU follow the English RFU’s lead and their 'absolute intention' not to select overseas players for England following the 2011 World Cup? Considering Ireland’s player base, can we afford to be so strict?

"Accountants appear to be running rugby here, and with them wages get cut. When great wealth awaits, a move can further erode the natural assets. And what will replace these assets? In recent times the provincial cheque has popped out to draft in foreign players, props in particular. This can’t be encouraged and will affect the already limited Irish resources available to Declan Kidney."

Wynne Gray believes he has ten ideas which could change the game of rugby for the better © Getty Images

Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Wynne Gray gives his thoughts on how the International Rugby Board (IRB) might go about changing the face of the game.

"1. Speak up, ref

"Mike up the match officials, then we will know what they are ruling instead of them waving their arms about as though they are controlling aircraft docking or passengers at train stations.

"It seems absurd that millions can sit in their lounges or clubrooms and get a good idea on referees' decisions through television, while those who fork out the dosh and go to watch games live, have to bung earplugs in to try to catch, often without any great success, those same rulings.

"We've got modern stadiums; wire them up so we can hear what referees are telling the players."

Writing in the Irish Independent, Peter Bills analyses France's humiliating capitulation at the hands of Australia last weekend.

"No one does a crisis quite like the French. Whether it's students tearing up paving stones in the street to hurl at police, workers setting cars alight or politicians spouting verbal abuse at critics, the French are in a class of their own.

"Last week, President Nicolas Sarkozy charmingly called his media critics 'paedophiles'. So perhaps we should have expected similarly dramatic statements in the light of the French rugby team's abject 59-16 capitulation to Australia at the weekend, at the Stade de France.

"Ahead 16-13 seven minutes after half-time, France were smashed and humiliated as the Wallabies ran in six tries in the last 32 minutes, four of them in the final quarter of an hour, as France fell apart."

Paul Rees of The Guardian asks former New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick if this latest crop of All Blacks is capable of ending the country's wait for a second World Cup title.

"Another European tour, another blackwash. New Zealand returned home this week top of the world but will they win the World Cup they host next year? Or will the Webb Ellis Trophy again turn near-invincibles into mere mortals?

"Sean Fitzpatrick was in the New Zealand side that won the 1987 World Cup, going on to captain the All Blacks in a 92-cap international career. He is one of five New Zealand 2011 government ambassadors, a team set up to promote the country and encourage visitors there next year.

"He believes the All Blacks are better placed to succeed in the World Cup than they were this time four years ago, when they brought two teams on tour to Europe, and that the experience of losing the quarter-final to France in Cardiff has helped toughen them mentally."

The recriminations begin for France © Getty Images

Robert Kitson ponders France's capitulation against Australia and wonders if it is symbolic of a greater problem, in The Guardian.

"It happened so quickly the victims seemed to struggle to take it in. France have been beaten heavily at home before, most notably by the All Blacks. But what happened to Les Bleus in the final quarter against Australia in Paris last Saturday was comfortably the most embarrassing episode of the European autumn, if not the entire year. You don't often see an international team simply give up.

"Having just got home from Twickenham, I'd missed the first 55 minutes of the game. Australia were 27–16 up, a decent cushion but nothing extravagant. The remainder of the game was oval-ball film noir, certainly from the point of view of the home defence coach Dave Ellis. Slick as the Wallabies backs were, the French corpse was barely twitching. They seemed uninterested in tackling, competing for the ball or, frankly, anything at all. A 16-13 lead dissolved into a 59-16 thrashing. To score 46 second-half points without reply, as Australia did, simply should not happen in a game involving two Tier One unions.

"By all accounts Marc Lièvremont is still trying to work out what went wrong. When coaches say that sort of thing they know the answer is usually staring them in the face. The squad are either so poor they can perform no better – clearly not the case here – or they have ceased to care about the job they are supposed to be doing. The Wallabies, I repeat, were as ruthless as starving freshwater crocs. But France? They were pitiful."

Peter Bills believes that November's Test schedule underlined the south's dominance over the north in The Independent.

"Britain, Ireland and northern France was blanketed by snow this morning. By contrast, the southern hemisphere basks in warm sunshine and that cosy sense of world rugby supremacy. The seasons and years come and go, but nothing much changes...

"In London, we thought we’d spied an early spring a couple of weeks ago when England beat Australia. But normal service was resumed in the November internationals at the weekend when the South Africans beat up Martin Johnson’s men to record a victory so much more imposing than a 21-11 score line suggests.

"Indeed, all over the northern hemisphere through this month of November, rugby’s world order has re-asserted itself. The southern hemisphere rules, OK? And there’s no disputing it."

John Eales reviews Australia's Test season in the wake of a massive win over France in The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Years ago my brother armed me with the advice, "don't whistle while you pack". He reasoned that while you may eagerly anticipate your "juice, water or champagne", your better half is probably cutting lunches, cleaning vomit and ironing uniforms. But while his counsel is wise for a sporting tour, a business trip or a boys' weekend, it holds no relevance when travelling back from a record-breaking, seven-tries-to-one, 59-16 victory over the French.

"This was a remarkable finish to what has been a demanding calendar. How do you judge a year like this? Fifteen Tests with, aside from the opener against Fiji, no "gimmes", for a return of nine victories and six defeats.

"The record includes victory against every opposition at least once, including being the only team to beat the All Blacks, the Wallabies' first success at altitude since 1963, and an All Black-like killer attitude to nail the French until the death."

Chris Rattue dismisses the idea of two referees taking charge of major internationals in The New Zealand Herald.

"You can hear the thundering hooves of the French defenders, and the peep of Wayne Barnes' whistle, every time Graham Henry and his mates start moaning about referees and rules.

"Less than a year out from the World Cup, or the tournament of personal redemption as designed by the New Zealand Rugby Union honchos, the All Black bosses are sounding edgy considering their tremendous success this season.

"The rogue element - the factor fingered as the reason for their 2007 World Cup exit - must be removed, you can almost hear them say."