My face has been as red as a Wales rugby shirt since I predicted in January that the Dragons would ‘Hook’ the Six Nations title. So Saturday’s James Hook-inspired victory over England came as a welcome relief after four successive defeats.

It was, of course, just a sidepiece to the main issue - the amazing finale to the Championship with the outcome decided by the very last move of the very last match. Ultimately, Elvis Vermeulen’s debatable squirm over the Scotland line saw France grab the title on points difference. But had Elvis not sung at the same time as the Fat Lady, Ireland would have been champions after their eight-try demolition job on the Italians in Rome a couple of hours earlier. And therein lies the rub.

Neutral fans may love the opportunity to watch every game, but scheduling of the final-day games to satisfy the demands of the TV companies gives an unfair advantage to the contenders playing last. With Ireland (13.30 kick-off), France (15.30) and England (17.30) locked on eight points at the top going into the final round of matches - and all three playing at different times - all the Irish could do was score as many points as they could against Italy . . . and then hope.

England weren’t really in the equation as only a cricket score in Cardiff could have taken them past the Irish or French. But when France ran onto the field, they knew that if they won by 24 points or more the crown was theirs. Scotland's Nikki Walker threatened to ruin the script by grabbed the opening try and stretching that required victory margin to an unlikely 31. But gradually the French cranked up the engine and with 10 minutes left they led by 25 points, seemingly with more to come.

Then, sacre bleu!, a late Scottish try by Euan Murray reduced the margin to 20, which brought in a remarkable new element. A successful French penalty or drop goal would have meant that, with France and Ireland finishing level both on points and points diffference, the title would be decided by try countback over the series, where Ireland held the advantage.

Ultimately, it didn’t come to that. Vermeulen grabbed a five-pointer with the final move of the game and to the despair of the entire Irish nation - and a great number of neutrals - France were champions for the second season running.

The big imponderable, of course, is what would have happened had the France game preceded Ireland’s clash with Italy? Would Brian O’Driscoll’s men have overhauled whatever points target France had set them? The way the day went, I suspect they would have done…but either way, the whole affair smacks of unfairness.

Hopefully, the authorities will take a long hard look at the penalty six great rugby nations paid for bowing to TV scheduling. When the players have to perform under a handicap like that, the whole competition is devalued. Logically, all three games should have kicked off together. Then everyone would have been on a level playing field.

Now back to the match of the Millennium (well, it was certainly big-time as far as Welsh pride was concerned). I honestly expected England to face the backlash of what has been a disastrous campaign for the Dragons - and they did. Hook grabbed a chargedown try inside three minutes and Wales were 15-0 ahead in no time. Then, after tries by Harry Ellis and Jason Robinson brought England right back into it, Hook put the boot in by landing three three decisive kicks in a 27-18 victory.

Fly-half Hook’s 22-point haul ended England’s latest renaissance (brilliant one match, garbage the next) and I don’t think even the most biased Chariot rider could deny Wales were worth it.

But the result was hardly a shock. I mean, beating the English has always been the most important result on the Welsh rugby calendar. It also means that coach Gareth Jenkins and his men can go into their World Cup build-up on the back of a morale-boosting victory -- and that Scotland are saddled with the ignominy of the 2007 wooden spoon.

Was the final-day scheduling of the Six Nations fair? And why is England's form so inconsistent? Let Sportingo have your view.