Being an inspirational skipper does not always make you the best person to lead a team off the field - just ask Bryan Robson and Bobby Moore about that.

But the manner it has all been done is nothing short of scandalous, particularly in the way now ex-coach Brian Ashton has been treated.

A couple of weeks ago I was concerned that increased expectations of the way teams should play had muddied the waters about the real point of sport - winning.

And that has certainly been the case with the England team.

Ashton was thrown in at the deep end following on from a disastrous spell under Andy Robinson.

He took a rag-bag bunch to the World Cup in France and got them through to the final. He then led the side to second in the Six Nations this year.

His reward has been to be shunted to one side in a manner unbecoming of the sport.

England's playing style was not pleasing on the eye, apparently, and he has paid the price.

Johnson will not be coaching the team, however.

He has no experience in that department and will instead focus on bringing in the best coaches money can buy.

It makes sense when you think that is exactly what Sir Clive Woodward did to great effect a few years ago. But it also begs the question what is Rob Andrew for?

He is the RFU's elite rugby director, and you cannot get much more elite than the national side.

So now we have two bosses in charge of bringing in the right men for the job.

And Ashton will get back to doing what he seems to do best - coaching at the national academy.

But given the way things have been carried out at Twickenham, I would be watching my back if I were Johnson.

JOE Calzaghe could well go into the catering business when his boxing career finishes, probably with a fight against Roy Jones.

His win over Bernard Hopkins was, apparently the icing on the cake for the Welshman.

But having used one superlative he struggled to find the words for his next test.

He eventually came up with 'the sprinkles on top of the cake' and a re-match with Jones, as the American is already suggesting two fights, would presumably be the candles.

Hopkins used equally impressive imagery immediately after Saturday's fight after being asked about a low blow delivered by Calzaghe, saying the Welshman had 'knocked my pirate outside of its cup'.

Pirate? Cup? Yo ho ho.

THE cash-rich Indian Premier League got underway amid much razamatazz over the weekend and the action has not disappointed.

But they should watch out for the hype in the remaining weeks of the competition after the first game at Mumbai.

A packed crowd was waiting for the start, but had to wait a little longer than anticipated as players and groundstaff scurried round clearing the debris that had fallen on the pitch from the pre-game firework display.

In the earlier game it was a floodlight problem that caused a lengthy delay, just as the match was getting interesting.

Perhaps money can't buy you everything.