'Biggest and best' World Cup in history

England's hosting of the World Cup was hailed at the "best ever" by World Rugby president Bernard Lapasset.

Of Argentina's Santiago Cordero and Nicolas Sanchez, the tournament's leading points scorer; of South Africa's young midfield axis of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel, New Zealand backs Nehe Milner-Skudder and Beauden Barrett, Japan's Ayumu Goromaru and Ireland's own Iain Henderson.

Jones also warned that Japanese rugby needs to undergo root-and-branch reform if it is to consistently compete on the world stage, and predicted a hard start for Japan's new Super Rugby franchise, the Sunwolves, when they begin play next year.

The scope of the Television Match Official could be broadened in rugby after criticism that crucial incidents were unable to be reviewed during the Rugby World Cup.

A sell out stadium of $80,125 watched New Zealand win at Twickenham yesterday - and it was watched on screen by 120 million people across the world. Following Ireland's dismantling in the quarter-finals the former football World Cup victor was even filmed joining in the celebrations in the changing rooms. The expectations for the next team is that they are going to make the quarterfinals. In some ways their game plan is very similar to that which has brought England success sporadically over the last few years; a dominant forward display laying the platform for the likes of Willie le Roux for South Africa and Anthony Watson of England to take advantage of. The 100-point drubbings are no more and tier-two and three teams need further exposure to the big beasts of world rugby. Australia, South Africa and New Zealand have traditionally been excellent and their junior sides have similarly been dominant usually making up three of the last four of the Junior World Championship every year.

"When you are a home team, the pressure on that coach is enormous", he said. Their excellent pack is now complemented by a superb backline. So what has brought about this mercurial rise? "That is the uniqueness of Japanese sport, that if you are able to win the minds of the players and get the players to work in the same direction, then the human will of that team is massive".

Gosper told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek: "That little bit of extra froth and buzz of the hosts keeping on going might have added something, but certainly as a tournament globally it really wasn't affected by that departure".

Rugby in the southern hemisphere, besides the excellence of New Zealand, who are possibly one of the most complete all round teams, is not that different from the northern hemisphere.

"We've seen the rise of Argentina and how much better they've become from being involved in the Rugby Championship and being exposed to that level of rugby". Clearly there is a generation coming through gifted enough to challenge the best. But one can only call it as one felt it and this World Cup was a tournament for the ages.