Now that the dust has settled on England's weekend of glorious failure, it's time to take stock of the lessons learnt. The consensus in the media seems to be that English football - and footballers - could pick up a few tips from rugby union. But it's not all one-way traffic. After sitting through a month of ITV's Rugby World Cup coverage, here are a few things the rugby commentators and anchormen could learn from their counterparts in football (and let's face it, for the most part they were one in the same anyway).
1. You're meant to build them up first, then knock them down. 2. Having all the video evidence on hand only makes things worse. 3. Just be honest with yourselves and ignore the other home nations. 4. Laboured variations on Bjørge Lillelien's "Helluva beating" commentary - as Will Greenwood attempted after England beat France - are way past their sell-by date. 5. Nobody likes arrogant winners. So endlessly replaying Josh Lewsey's little pat on the head isn't going to endear you to anyone. As sporting images go, it's more Andreas Möller than Freddie Flintoff. 6. World Cup legends should be treated as such. Try picking up a few lessons in dignity from Michael Lynagh and Sean Fitzpatrick rather than taking cheap shots at them. 7. Stick to the script and give sportsmen minimum time on the microphone. Otherwise you face the ignominy of Nick Easter announcing to the nation, "I'd like to thank the media from the heart of my bottom."
