TALK about ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’.

What happened to England last Saturday? I can hear all of you Irish folk giving England a hard time and they deserve it.

How can you see off Wales, Scotland, Italy and France and then lose to Ireland so tamely by 13-9?

Alright, it was in Dublin, and I guess Ireland raised their game in front of their home crowd. Even so, for a side like England to have missed out on a Grand Slam with such an abject performance defied logic.

Ireland had 75% of the possession in the first half and could have been even further ahead than 10-3 at the break.

England narrowed the gap to 10-6 on 50 minutes through an excellent Owen Farrell penalty, but never really looked like winning the match.

The joys of being an England supporter, eh!

Disappointment aside, it’s still been a remarkable run from England under Eddie Jones. Eighteen winning games on the stretch is no mean feat at international level.

At least England topped the Six Nations Championship table with Ireland, France and Scotland separated by points difference in second, third and fourth place respectively and with Italy, as usual, bringing up the rear.

As for France versus Wales, name the player shown a yellow card with the clock in the red, served his 10-minute suspension and came back on to complete the match?* And what about the replacement of replacement prop Uini Atonio with Rabah Slimani - a player he had earlier replaced? Very confusing.

George North also claimed to have been bitten after a tackle. One way or another, it was quite a game ending in the 100th minute with a France victory.

Now the spotlight falls on Warren Gatland and the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. There are a wealth of options in every position and selection is going to be extremely tough.

On the local front, London Irish clinched their 17th straight Greene King IPA Championship win, crushing Cornish Pirates 39-10 at Madejksi Stadium.

They cross the English Channel this Saturday to face fifth-placed Jersey Reds having already guaranteed top spot in the table.

* It was Samson Lee.