There can be no doubt that the current wave of hero worship which is turning the likes of Jonny Wilkinson and Martin Johnson into cult figures will have knock-on effects right down through the tiers of the whole sport. Great news for players, clubs, leagues, agents and the rest of the rugby tribe, no doubt. But is it simply a case of waiting for the cheques to turn up in the post? Probably not.

On the field, adapting well to the prevailing conditions was key to England's success throughout the World Cup competition. Off the field, in the sponsorship game, the same rules apply - in the ruck and maul which will now ensue, it will be those clubs and players who best adapt their sponsorship sales tactics to the new conditions who will come out on top.

Sponsors will have much more enthusiasm for packages which are professionally marketed, realistically costed and which allow them full scope in leveraging and exploiting their investment. A short-term feeding frenzy could soon come to a bitter end if sponsors ultimately feel ripped off and ill-served by the individuals and organisations who have benefited from their support.

Gone are the days when rugby sponsorship was a game for amateurs. This is a time for cool heads and a disciplined approach.

Those who get it right stand to gain significant financial advantage over those not prepared to invest time and effort in applying high standards of excellence to the exploiting of their sponsorship properties.

The rest will just get kicked into touch.