Two inevitabilities from that torrid tussle at Twickenham came to pass.

First, the All Blacks won the game convincingly which was followed not long after by a predictable put-down of the performance from that Pommy twit, Stephen Jones.

Poor old, grumpy Stephen.

This is a man who must surely take away the Guinness Book's Record for the Bitterest Loser on this Planet.

This time around, Jones' take on the defeat was more twisted than ever.

He pronounced the All Blacks as the least impressive New Zealand team to ever play at Twickenham and went on to pour scorn on most aspects on their display.

By insinuation, Jones' summation of this All Blacks victory must automatically have cast damning aspersion on England's losing performance but as usual, he has chosen not to dwell on that fact.

As I wrote in my blog on Friday, one of the most delicious outcomes of beating the Poms is to see such arrogant, English media tossers as Jones have to squirm in defeat again.

The garbage he writes is simply the only way this sorest of losers can cope.

And as is always the case, I couldn't disagree with Jones more.

I reckon this was one particularly gutsy and conclusive All Blacks win where their iron-will defence eventually broke the collective spirit of the England team as well as the hearts of the 75,000 plus crowd.

Defence was the skill mostly evident throughout the test, not only from our team but also from a pretty defiant English outfit for much of the game.

The men in the white jerseys lifted their act dramatically from the previous embarrassments they treated their fans to against both Australia and Argentina in the previous two weekends.

They defended in the first half especially, as though Martin Johnson and co. had put each and every one of them on a last-warning notice.

It was this defence from both teams plus an often slippery ball that kept the score from blowing out to levels that most entries in the 'Pick the Score' competition predicted.

In fact, not one of the hundreds of entries picked the 19–6 score line correctly which means that the $350 dollar voucher from the Lone Star Bar and Cafe will now be deferred to the test against France at Marseilles next weekend.

And what a tasty prospect that encounter is shaping up to be given France beat the Springboks a week ago.

I'm interested in your opinions on the current state of Northern Hemisphere rugby now that we've all been exposed to plenty of it in recent weeks.

We've all watched our men in black play Wales, Italy and now England. And many of us have also watched the woeful Wallabies nudge out England, draw with Ireland and lose shamefully to Scotland.

Then there are the Springboks who lost to France but have just dealt to Italy while Argentina has lost to both England and Wales on their northern tour.

I personally reckon that the overall standard of rugby on the other side the world is in slightly better shape than I imagined, given their international, home season has only recently begun.

Then again, the British and Irish Lions did run the best team in the world, the Springboks, as close as can be in their unlucky, heroic  2–1 series loss a few months back.

So, if the All Blacks can win against France next weekend and return home undefeated, the year will end on a high for Commander Henry and his troops.

But if France prevails, 2009 will be seen as one of our most indifferent ever.

Your thoughts please.