What a display of character by the England team. To come back the way they did was very impressive. You can’t fluke a win like that, it requires knowhow. And in being able to adapt to the circumstances on the field speaks volumes for the strength and leadership of Martin Corry.

The flipside of all this, for me, was their kicking game. Field position is massively important, as is using your kicking to relieve pressure. But England seemed like two different sides on Saturday, depending on whether they were kicking the ball well or kicking it badly.

South Africa’s first try came directly from a mis-hit clearance kick. Conversely, when England got within tryscoring range, it came about by kicking well for field position.

Now, I don’t know because I’m not in the squad, but I wonder if they are missing Dave Alred, the kicking coach who lost his job in the clearout last spring. I cannot say this with authority, because everyone in the team might turn round and say that they are happy with the situation as it is.

But I do know how good he was for me and I know, too, how much confidence it gave me to know that I had the best kicking coach in the world working with me on my preparation and self-belief.

Crucially, for me, Dave gave the ability to self-coach; what I mean is that if my kicking was going against me, Dave taught me how to assess it and correct it within the game.

As I say, I can’t know whether Dave’s absence is in any way related to England’s kicking performance against South Africa.

What you can be sure of, though, is that if everyone is kicking well, that helps the injection of confidence that this team so badly needs. For me, I look at this team and ask myself: surely players of that calibre cannot lack confidence. I think there is a vicious circle to all this: as long as the talk is about who is the right man for what job, the longer the players will have problems settling and showing that they are settled. What they need is some continuity and thus a set-up in which they can thrive.

I watched Saturday’s game at home in Newcastle, but by the time you read this, I’ll have arrived in a warmer clime for a break and some gentle rehab from my kidney injury. I can walk now without pain, but I can’t run or anything. I’ve actually realised that there’s really very little I can do, so heading for the sun seemed wise.

Not surprisingly, I have become a bit of a pro in terms of coming back from an injury, I know what works best for me and that involves getting away from the Newcastle rugby scene when my injury is at its most frustrating. I don’t want to be hanging around the boys, being down in the mouth and a negative influence.

But I’m still positive about the long-term future. I know some people are beginning to wonder: how many more knocks can he take? Is he going to start looking at a life beyond the game? Yes, I do wonder why fate has dealt me this hand. There is a bit of “Why me?” going on inside, but I’ve never questioned whether I can get back again.

Every time I get back into it, all I need is that first 20 minutes of training, or the start of a game, and I’m reminded that it’s not a case of having a choice. I will start to play again and immediately get that feeling that this is where I belong, this is what I am all about.

When I do get back, I enjoy it so much, I’m thinking: just give me one more game, that’s all I want, just one more shot. I’m just thinking: please, just one more opportunity to play for the Falcons, and yes, even for England.