Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere can be a gloomy affair, cold, wet and windy, a far cry from the same time of year south of the equator. Here, you should expect temperatures of at least 20 degrees and plenty of sunshine, in most cases leaving the grass short and the ground hard, allowing for a fast, free-flowing game of rugby.

The ball, too, thrives in these dry conditions, reducing the amount of handling errors and allowing for wide, accurate passing. This is the type of rugby which spectators enjoy watching, but it will not be the type of rugby which wins this year’s World Cup. So who will lose out if conditions turn out to be more mire than drier?

Well, with the exception of New Zealand (where the climate is similar to that in England), the obvious candidates are Argentina, South Africa, Australia, Samoa, Italy and Tonga. Tonga, especially, may feel the effects of the conditions as their game relies on pace and power, but the remaining teams should be able to adapt, with their sizeable packs able to keep the game close. However, this may be more a mental challenge than a physical one.

‘Running out into a muddy swamp, howling gale and freezing hail is something else – especially when you are not used to it’

Running out on to a pitch for your club, county or country is one thing. Running out into a muddy swamp, howling gale and freezing hail is something else. Especially when you are not used to it. (In some instances I could not wait to get off the pitch and into the bar!) I have recently written off England's chances of winning the World Cup, but as I gaze out my window at a ground strewn with mud and water and with the radiator on, I am starting to have second thoughts. This year’s tournament will be won by the forwards, a quick-thinking scrum-half and by a team used to playing year in and year out in some atrocious conditions.

Ball handling errors will be rife and as more knock-ons occur so will knockouts. As many players (especially at scrum-half) will tell you, the more mistakes you make, the more you will try to do something flamboyant to rescue the situation. In such unsupportive conditions this can often spell disaster, to the dismay of your team-mates. As heads and serotonin (a naturally occuring happy drug which loves sunshine) levels drop, cracks will start to appear and, for certain teams, the floodgates will open.
Don't get me wrong, these guys are professionals – inspirational captains and coaches should be able to stem the flow and provide some guidance, but as dark clouds loom above and the heavens open, despair and agitation may set in for some teams.

The likes of England, Ireland and Scotland (given Saturday’s performance) will thrive in such conditions and playmakers like Mike Blair (Scotland), Peter Stringer (Ireland) and Shaun Perry (England) will have the unenviable task of deciding whether the ball should go to the forwards, backs... or indeed to run it themselves. Along with the three guys in the back row, scrum-halves will be the key to this year’s title.