MARTIN JOHNSON held the Webb Ellis trophy to the skies for what seemed like the thousandth time and the lap of honour predictably was a little weary.
And you had to agree with head coach Clive Woodward that it was time for the rugby World Cup partying to be consigned to history.
"There have been enough celebrations now," said Woodward after his non-capped England side had beaten the New Zealand Barbarians comfortably 42-17 at Twickenham in a thoroughly entertaining final post-script to that dramatic November night in Sydney.
"From January 1 the World Cup is banned from our vocabulary. It's time to build for the future. We want to move on and we have got to put the World Cup out of our minds."
Wise words from a sporting coach who understands better than most that as world champions England are now the benchmark for opponents' success and as such everyone will be galvanised just that bit extra to beat them.
The good news is that, if the strength in depth on show on Saturday at rugby HQ is anything to go by, Woodward has a myriad of options to reinforce his ageing champions - not least in the burgeoning form of Leicester centre Ollie Smith and rookie Bath prop Matt Stevens who starred in a team containing just four starting members from the World Cup final.
Woodward's immediate concern is not who will replace the likes of Jason Leonard, who received an award on Saturday for becoming the most capped player of all-time when he earned his 112th cap against Wales in the World Cup quarter-final.
Nor who will eventually replace Martin Johnson and back rowers Lawrence Dallaglio, Neil Back and Saturday's captain Richard Hill, all of whom are the wrong side of 30 and almost certainly will not be around come the next World Cup in France in 2007.
Woodward's more pressing questions surround the disquiet of disillusioned club owners and chairmen such as Northampton's Keith Barwell who believes England have no chance of retaining the World Cup if they do not solve the festering wrangle over payment of elite players.
Clubs such as Leicester, third from bottom of the Zurich Premiership, and Northampton, in third place, have suffered on the pitch by supplying so many players to the England cause without adequate compensation, though on Saturday each Premiership club received £100,000 for allowing players to be part of a celebration which went down famously with the Twickenham full house even on a bitterly cold evening.
The clubs maintain that their fan base is being eroded by potential season-ticket holders knowing that their international stars will make only half a dozen appearances for them each season.
It is a simmering row which threatens the harmony Wood-ward has achieved thus far.
In the game Ben Cohen (two), his fellow wing James Simpson-Daniel, fly-half Paul Grayson, substitute Mike Tindall and Stevens scored tries, while Grayson added 12 points from the boot.
The England XV trailed by seven points early on, but even without the likes of World Cup heroes like Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Neil Back, they still held too many trump cards.
But the hastily-assembled Barbarians outfit also had their moments, especially during the opening quarter, when they led 10-3 and monopolised possession, although second row Troy Flavell was later cited by Eng-land for breaking stand-in skipper Richard Hill's nose.
The other question Woodward must ponder as he heads for a festive break skiing in Switzerland is whether to take up the likely offer to coach the British Lions on their tour of New Zealand in 2005.
He should be encouraged to do just that. Such is the professional structure he has put in place around England, with 19 specialist assistants, there is no doubt he could afford to take a sabbatical to inspire the Lions without compromising England's chances of retaining the Webb Ellis trophy.
What better way of capitalising on World Cup know-how than utilising the vision, drive and meticulous planning, which are the tools of Woodward's trade, to lift the hopes of the whole of British rugby and perhaps at the same time revitalise the Six Nations?
It is Woodward's next big challenge. Especially as, after Saturday, we can no longer mention the World Cup.
ENGLAND (13) 42. Tries: Cohen 2, Grayson, Stevens, Simpson-Daniel, Tindall. Cons: Grayson 3. Pens: Grayson 2. England: Robinson, Simpson-Daniel, Smith, Abbott, Cohen, Grayson, Gomarsall, Woodman, Titterell, Stevens, Shaw, Grewcock, Corry, Hill, Worsley. Replacements: Tindall for Smith (55), Gollings for Abbott (79), Bracken for Gomarsall (64), Sheridan for Woodman (55), P. Sanderson for Corry (55), Vyvyan for Hill (62). Not Used: Long.
NEW ZEALAND BARBARIANS (10) 17. Tries: Flavell, Lowen. Cons: Jackson 2. Pens: Jackson. New Zealand Barbarians: Muller, Gear, Lowen, Gibson, Albanese, Jackson, Lee, Woodcock, Hore, Manu, Flavell, Maling, Randell, Blaikie, Rush. Replacements: Taione for Gear (72), Willis for Lee (62), Tiatia for Hore (49), Maxwell for Maling (60), Harding for Rush (39). Not Used: Hurter, Vili. Att: 74,003 Ref: Joel Judge (France).
