There is a Peculiar feeling when World Cup tournaments come to an end, an emptiness, a void that is difficult to fill, weeks and months even years of hope and expectation suddenly evaporate, and we are left with the vagaries of so called normal life.

The land of the rising sun finally reached dusk last Saturday, as South Africa lifted the trophy in Yokohama.

Cheslin Kolbe’s feet had barely touched the ground before the rugby circus had packed up its tent, and the mass migration to Hanenda airport had commenced.

But as the sun sets in the east, a new dawn has already risen in the west, as France take over the RWC torch for 2023.

As Bak-San scrubs off the last vestiges of body paint, despite the sadness our lives all feel that little bit richer for our holiday romance with Japan.

Six weeks ago many of us knew very little about Vasily Artemyev, or Kotaro Matsushima, but they are now firmly etched into our rugby memory banks, along with the sights sounds and screams of flying Fijians, sinking Scots and wounded Welshmen.

A new rugby cycle is about to begin, after a whole host of international farewells including Warren Gatland, Steve Hansen, Guilhem Guirado, Louis Picamoles and Wayne Barnes and many more.

This time next year the draw for RWC 2023 takes place in Paris.

The 10th Rugby World Cup begins in the French capital on September 8 2023, and ends on October 21.

Forty five days of gum ulcerating baguettes, only soothed by a decent chateauneuf du Pape but boy the French do these tournaments so well, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean it will be a feast both on and off the field, the nine host stadiums span the length and breadth of country from the mountains to the seas.

So as the bullet train prepares to make way for the TGV, it’s time to take a deep breath, let us all hope we are spared to do it all again in four years time, and who knows maybe even Brexit will be sorted by then.