SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: France and Ireland are in a league of their own

Before this Six Nations I was hugely excited at the prospect of five of the best sides in the world, and Italy, going head to head and, if it didn’t quite live up to the hype, it was a hugely significant and largely enjoyable tournament nonetheless.

It was a spectacle — both live and on the TV — and it was good to see rugby delivering again. I rejoice in that. My overall take is that there are now manifestly two divisions in the Six Nations.

There are France and Ireland and then there are the rest.

France and Ireland are forging ahead in their understanding of the modern game, their skill levels and attacking intent and the tempo they attempt to play the game at.

That doesn’t mean they are unbeatable, there will still be bumps in the road but the curve is upwards and I salute both teams and both sets of coaches.

It frustrates me incidentally that proud English rugby men, such as Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell and Mike Catt, are at the heart of these two fine sides but England either ignore their talents — in the case of Edwards — or dispense with them too early as was the case with Farrell and Catt.

The French have lit up the rugby world. Stars such as Antoine Dupont, Cameron Woki, Gregory Alldritt, Romain Ntamack and Damian Penaud will eventually be remembered as legends of the game when they retire but, make no mistake, they are more than a random gathering of freakish talent.

France under Fabien Galthie have fearlessly and systematically selected young tyros they believe in, while Edwards has got them fit and remodelled their defence.

Ireland, meanwhile, have a relentless pace and array of skills that reminds me of Farrell’s great rugby league side at Wigan when he was skipper.

As for the rest? Let’s first deal with