So, let’s revisit my predictions:

Pool A – South Africa to win the group, England runners-up. Got that right.

Pool B – Australia and Wales in that order. Half right. Australia won the group and Fiji edged Wales out for second spot.

Pool C – New Zealand and Italy. Any fool would have said New Zealand to win the group, the competition here was for second spot. I backed the Azzuri and guess what? I was wrong.

Pool D – Ireland and France. It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it seems likely that the teams to emerge from the Pool of Death will be Argentina and France, in that order.

A career in Rugby punditry is now further away than ever, I think.