When Max Boyce wrote songs of celebration about Wales’ trips to Twickenham and penned lyrics of light-hearted ridicule about their English opponents, the world seemed a happier place. Well, it did to those of us born in god’s country and forced to live on the wrong side of the River Severn due to parental geographical relocation or witness protection.

Sadly those days are now a distant memory hidden in the midsts of historical recollection and imprisoned in old DVD’s, videos and grainy YouTube clips.

Yesterday at the Allianz Stadium formerly known as Twickenham Wales’ descent into the rugby abyss continued.

Dante’s inferno had only nine layers of hell unlike Welsh rugby which continues to create new layers on a weekly basis.

The absence of Welsh fans was noticeable compared to previous years but perhaps not surprising.

Fifty years ago I stood here in the pouring rain watching JPR Williams score a brace of tries in a 21-9 victory for Wales, an experience that I would happily have relived yesterday. The only similarity half a century later was the pouring rain.

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there” is a famous quote by L.P. Hartley from his 1953 novel The Go-Between. In Wales’ case the past is a distant galaxy, and the reality of the rugby times in which we now live in were hammered home on a wet winter’s evening much to the delight of the home crowd.

Just before kick off the rain finally ceased, the clouds parted as a glimmer of sunshine and blue sky peeped through the dark grey clouds.

This was the only brightness Wales saw as they failed to execute even the basic skills in a first half that was quite frankly embarrassing from a Welsh point of view.

When you can’t win your own line out ball or even execute a tap penalty. yes you do have to play the ball with your foot, there really is no hope.

Two yellow cards reduced Wales to thirteen men for two ten minute period during which England made hay, but to be honest they made hay when Wales had fifteen men as they harvested four tries in the first half and three in the second period.

In the second half England barely got out of second gear yet still managed to take their try count to seven as Wales poor discipline and inaccuracy continued.

For the record Josh Adams scored a consolation try for Wales but this was another in a long line of dismally depressing performances from the men in red.

For Wales it doesn’t get any easier. They face France in Cardiff next Sunday a scary prospect indeed.

Those new layers of hell are still increasing with no sign of abating.