Cyathia Medullaris and Rosales have cross-pollinated on many occasions over recent years, at or to give them their non-scientific names, Black Ferns and Red Roses.

And there are startling similarities between the rugby and flora aspects of both.

The Black Fern can grow quite large, block out Roses and will take advantage of any open space regardless of sun and shade.

Red Roses are extremely versatile, hardy and can be placed in a variety of locations where they will flourish.

They have blossomed over recent weeks in the mixture of rain and warm sunshine that has visited these shores, with the hope of reaching full bloom yesterday.

In New Zealand it was 1.30am on a Sunday morning back here at Twickenham or the Allianz stadium as it is now called. It was a much more sociable 2.30pm on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Such are the vagaries of the global time differences across the hemispheres.

Whichever day of the week you were watching, this was one of the most eagerly awaited international fixtures, a contest carrying more baggage than my wife on a weekend break.

Five Rugby World Cup finals have seen victories for the women from the land of the long white cloud over their English counterparts yet outside the world crown the Red Roses have had their fair share of success.

The Black Ferns buoyed by a Collective hug from King Charles on Wednesday evening started brightly, but it was the power of England that produced three first half tries for Marlie Packer, Abbie Dow, and Ellie Kildunne. With a 17-0 half-time lead, the Red Roses were looking comfortable.

After the interval, the 41,523 crowd did not have to wait long for another try. Mo Hunt stretched out for a touchdown just two minutes after the restart, and Hollie Aitchison’s conversion gave England a 24-0 lead that looked unassailable.

Katelyn Vahaakolo however had other ideas and the Black Ferns wing grabbed a brace of tries in the 51st and 60th minute to bring the score back to 24-12. All of a sudden, the match was beginning to look like a contest once again.

England saw the game out fairly comfortably, but there are injury concerns ahead of WXV 1 in Canada, with Amy Cokayne leaving the field in pain.

As the departing crowd headed across the A316 into the blinding sunlight, fanciful thoughts of a return here in twelve months time for a Rugby World Cup final between the two sides were not a million miles away. But if a week is a long time in politics then a year in rugby is a lifetime.

The Red Roses will undoubtedly flourish once again, so now it is important that any required pruning takes place. They should be tended, cared for, and nurtured to enable them to bloom again in a packed twelve months that includes a WXV tournament in Canada, the Women’s Six Nations, and of course the Holy Grail of a home Rugby World Cup next Autumn.