The draw for the 2015 World Cup groups seemed to pass without a hitch, even if the question of why it was being made nearly three years before the event was not asked.
The answer, given that world rankings this month may be vastly different come September 2015, was that maximum time is needed for planning the event: it will, for example, take four months to decide who plays where and then comes the inspection of hotels, training facilities, travel organisation for teams and supporters.
The draw could probably have been held this time next year with the minimum of disruption. That has nothing to do, of course, with the fact that none of the home unions is embarking on a major tour of the south next summer, although they are all acting as hosts next November.
The Lions are in Australia and, as far as the rankings are concerned, the home unions will have a potential advantage next year of not playing southern hemisphere teams away, not that home proved much of an asset this year.
The draw itself was notable for the contribution of the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who judging by what he said has never made an effort to clamber aboard England's chariot. His speech had been agreed in advance with the International Rugby Board but the written version bore little relation to what he actually said, leaving the organisers with a rising sense of panic.
Faces were turning the colour of Will Greenwood's garish tie whenJohnson started talking about rearranged noses and faces. Was he going to declare his belief that Andrew Hore was innocent? There was relief when he kept his offering to a few minutes.
The next time the draw is made Japan will be the hosts. Will they automatically qualify if they are outside the top 12 of the rankings come 2016? It will not be quite the same at the ceremony if Tokyo's version of Boris is left to chunter on about Asia 1 and Asia 2's prospective pool partners.
The current Japan coach, Eddie Jones, was at the Tate Modern and is preparing for his third World Cup having been in charge of the finalists Australia in 2003 and a consultant to the 2007 winners, South Africa. Getting the Cherry Blossoms to the 2015 final would make it some hat-trick.
"Japan have not won a World Cup game for 20 years and our performances against the top countries have not been good," said Jones. "We are trying to play differently, relying on fewer foreigners and forging a Japanese style of play. The former France hooker Marc dal Maso has been working on our scrum and offered the opinion that the Japanese are too nice on the field. It is something we are working on.
"I will stand down after the 2015 World Cup, even though the next tournament is being held in Japan. I know my limit: international rugby works in four-year cycles now, unless you are an All Blacks coach. My challenge is to make the team respected by the time I leave and to help produce two or three coaches who will take the squad forward. We have three players who will be involved in the Super 15 next year and that is important for us."
A popular subject of the draw was England's victory over New Zealand some 48 hours before, not just the result but the ebullient manner of the home side's performance. When he was in charge of Australia, Jones enjoyed verbal sparring with his then counterpart, Clive Woodward, but there was only one grenade for the 2015 hosts.
"England went into the game against New Zealand with no fear: no one expected them to win and I know it sounds funny, but you can go out then and play rugby," he said. "They were also good tactically and the big test is how they deal with the expectation that will now be on them. Will they have the courage to play the same way? The only coach who has been able to get that out of them is Woodward and, since he went, it has been a case of peaks and troughs. Stuart Lancaster's job now is to make sure England continue to play without fear. The question going forward is over their mental ability."
Jones's caveat was over Manu Tuilagi, the scorer of one of England's three tries and creator of the other two. "He is a very good player and I think he is an out-and-out 12: when you look at the pace and power England have out wide and Ben Foden to return at full-back, all they need is a 13 similar to Conrad Smith. If I had been his coach, I would have kicked Tuilagi's backside afterwards for the way he walked in his try against the All Blacks. You do not do that sort of thing."
The All Blacks will not forget. Twickenham played host to a game even more remarkable than last Saturday's in 1999 when France met New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final. Les Bleus were trailing 24-10 and their cause looked hopeless when, out of nowhere, they produced some remarkable rugby, scoring three tries in quick succession and winning43-31. It was England, though, who were to become the dominant force in Europe and then the world.
"A number of sides are building," said Jones. "South Africa have gone from a forward pack with 400+ caps to 150, England the same. France and Wales have young players coming through. The race to 2015 is about who becomes the most stable.
"We did not see a shift in power last month. South Africa did not play particularly well but they won their three Tests. They had a number of injuries and they did enough in each game, if no more. I think they are the most pragmatic side in the world: they do what they have to do to win. Australia had good results in England, Italy and Wales after losing to France and they have some really good young players coming through. They have a really attacking back line when everyone is fit, but it is a question of finding balance. There have been concerns expressed about the future of Australian rugby, but because of the sporting environment in the country there will always be a good Wallabies team."
Robbie Deans was at the World Cup draw and the Australia coach was asked whether he would still be in charge in 2015: his contracts ends after the Lions series next summer and he has come under increasing pressure in the media. "I know how he feels," said Jones. "It will be a great series against the Lions and I think it will be as close as it was in 2001 when the Lions were the best team in the first two hours of the Tests and the Wallabies were in charge in the final two hours. It came down to a final lineout and could do so again."
SOBER RETURN OF HEINEKEN CUP
The decision of the English and Welsh rugby unions to play a fourth international in their autumn series and devalue their regional/club games meant that the World Cup draw has overshadowed the return of the Heineken Cup.
In one sense, it means longer relief from the politicking about the future of the tournament that will return this month, especially when the opposing factions start talking about television deals and legality.
If England's World Cup group overshadowed the one that included France, Ireland and Italy, the back-to-back Heineken weekends will give a taste of what is to come with the champions, Leinster, meeting the team they defeated in last season's semi-final, Clermont Auvergne.
Leinster started slowly in October, fortunate to defeat Exeter at home and functional in Llanelli against the Scarlets, but Clermont have not been as dominant at home, despite continuing their long unbeaten record in front of their own supporters.
Their last three home matches in the Top 14 have seen the visitors depart with a bonus point and, in the cases of Stade Français and Toulon, a belief that they were short-changed. The victory over Toulon marked 50 unbeaten Top 14 matches at Stade Marcel-Michelin. Leinster are unbeaten at home this season.
Ulster go to Northampton on Friday night having won 12 out of 12 this season. Four of their last five matches in the RaboDirect Pro 12 have been away, and they left it late during the international window before beating Zebre and Treviso.
An issue for the English clubs and the Welsh regions is that their players only returned to duty this week after five weeks away with their national squads. A problem with Tests arranged outside the official international window is that club tournaments do not take account of them, not that the two unions involved will be bothered as they count their profits.
