WHEN England made their expected early exit from the World Cup in Brazil a year ago, most football fans shrugged, muttered something along the lines of ‘it was only to be expected’ and looked forward to the new Premier League season.

Fast forward to Twickenham (Saturday night), change the code and what have we got? According to one Sunday paper headline: The End of the World.

It appears that rugby union followers, unlike football fans, haven’t quite learned how to handle the fact that Jonny Wilkinson’s World Cup winning drop-goal was 12 years ago.

Not as long ago as Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick so maybe it’s easier for football folk to face the truth – that maybe we are not as good as we think.

On Saturday night Australia – where, unlike in England, union is the poor relation of league – were streets ahead. Even to the untrained eye, they were sharper, smarter and they had 28-point Bernard Foley to snap up every chance they got.

I am totally ignorant of the accepted nuances and complexities of the game’s secret code of scrumming, rucking and mauling but it did not take an expert in such mysteries to see the obvious. Australia were full of ideas, England’s think-tank was empty.

It did not take long for the knives to come out. Sky’s Stuart Barnes got the ball rolling by suggesting – or was it demanding? – that Stuart Lancaster has to go and take his back room staff with him. Sam Burgess was another easy target.

Confirmation that it was Burgess’s fault came from a collection of columnists. The former league man who was substituted in the game against Wales when England were winning and was brought on against the Wallabies when the game was already lost should never have been trusted in the first place according to one critic.

And former Irish centre Gordon D’Arcy (seven tries in 82 appearances) suggested that Burgess was an embarrassment to those around him.

Meanwhile, as in Brazil a year ago, England have another match to play – a meaningless meeting with Uruguay on Saturday night – before they take their seats among the World Cup spectators.

After that we can all stop pretending that the dreary sound of Swing Low Sweet Chariot is all we need to send the opposition running for cover. Whoever takes over from Lancaster – and another ex-league man Mike Ford is one of the front runners – will need more than an 80-strong choir to put things right.

“WHEN you are so down I think it is time to be honest and say clearly that referees are afraid to give decisions to us. At 1-1 there is a huge penalty and once more we do not get it.”

If you are still wondering who said that then you have clearly not been paying attention so here’s another clue.

“If the club sacks me they sack the best manager the club has ever had.”

“Honest” Jose was in full flow following Chelsea’s 3-1 home defeat by Southampton – though when it was pointed out that his opponents could have had two penalties he didn’t want to talk about that.

It was like watching a cornered animal. For all his honesty, Jose Mourinho barely hinted that the champions’ present plight might in some small way be his fault. Not when there are referees around to take the blame.

LIVERPOOL fans flooded the phone-ins to celebrate the departure of Brendan Rodgers as their manager after the 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.

One even suggested that a great cloud had been lifted from over Anfield. Which might seem a bit harsh when you consider that, despite their glorious past, Liverpool have never won the Premier League, they have had six different managers since Kenny Dalglish led them to the old Division One title 25 years ago.

Calls were made to bring back their Stevie from the States, entice Jamie from out of the Sky studios, give Kenny the job again.

Liverpool are a long way down the pecking order and a change of manager is always the easy option. History or being a Scouser won’t turn them into a leading side again. It takes money – lots of it.

Liverpool supporters might need reminding that Huddersfield Town were a leading force in the 1930s. Times change.