Plenty to talk about, but much of it about the future. For now, picking a dream team of performers from the last month was childishly easy. New Zealanders dominate our World XV!

15 Chris Latham - As Australia's backs faltered behind the shaky pack, so Latham gave the rest of his team a timely reminder of just what strength and adrenalin means. The number of people bouncing off Latham in the tackle this November was nothing short of phenomenal, as was that try to give Australia back the lead in Cardiff.
Back-up: François Steyn

14 Joe Rokocoko - Proved once again that he is no ordinary Joe, giving three matches of all-round finery from his wing, rounded off with tries at Twickenham, Lyon and Paris. He is in the middle, covering at full-back, hanging wide for the kick... every wing-game dimension possible has been added and worked on, and it makes for a fearsome weapon.
Back-up: Rico Gear

13 Stirling Mortlock - Truth be known, outside centre was a tough call. We had four different choices between us, and in the end, Mortlock won not only because of his belligerence, leadership and goal-kicking skills in adversity for much of the series, but also because he was the better of the two from our chosen four who played in the middle nearly all the way through! Just pips Brian O'Driscoll to the posts as BOD was overshadowed somewhat by his own Irish colleagues.
Back-up: Brian O'Driscoll

12 James Hook - Stood out as one - some might say the only - Welsh back who was able to consistently get over the gain-line in even the tightest of situations, and also one - again some might say the only - Welsh back to put boot to ball at the right moments and with the necessary accuracy and authority. Read the game superbly at every turn. A big future beckons for the young Osprey.
Back-up: Gordon D'Arcy

11 Sitiveni Sivivatu - Keeping it in the family on the wing, Sivivatu joins cousin Joe on the opposite side of the field. This series exploded the myth that he might only be about power and pace; some moments of timed running and sleight of hand, especially in Lyon against France, were mesmerising. Finished off with a hat-trick against Wales, testament to his skill and work-rate that he was in position every time.
Back-up: Christophe Dominici

10 Dan Carter - It seems that he can do no wrong. Barely a mistake from hand or boot all month. He still thinks he can improve. We don't.
Back-up: Stephen Larkham

9 Agustín Pichot - As the years have gone on, so those daring tap and goes from penalties and breaks from the scrum have decreased and the mane has got shorter, but Pichot rolled back the years like he rolls back his sock-tops this November with three outstanding performances, none better than that at Twickenham where he inspired his team to their most famous victory ever.
Back-up: Dwayne Peel

8 Denis Leamy - Ireland are spoilt for choice in the back-row, but Leamy is a cut above the rest. A relentless charger with ball in hand, and a relentless supporter/tackler without it. Has risen to the top of his game just in time...
Back-up: Elvis Vermeulen

7 Richie McCaw - The one everybody generally mentions when the words 'breakdown' and 'cheat' are in the same sentence, but that does not explain the way the black number seven is last up from most rucks and mauls, and first down at all the others. IRB Player of the Year, captain of the best in the world, and so good at stealing that he is a notch higher than all his team-mates in the interpol intelligence ratings.
Back-up: Juan Smith

6 Jerry Collins - The revelation that he has deliberately been reducing the size of his biceps because they were getting in the way and preventing him from tackling 'properly' give you an idea of what to expect. Three monumental tackles within one minute against Wales showed you as a practical example. Terrifying with or without the ball.
Back-up: Neil Best

5 Paul O'Connell - Brian O'Driscoll provides the huff, but it is O'Connell in Ireland's engine room who provides the men from the Emerald Isle with all the puff that frequently blows in the walls of all defences put before him. Line-out king, destruction in the loose, and faster than all the other puffers going into the final ten minutes.
Back-up: Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe

4 Marco Bortolami - Quite simply Italy's most accomplished lock, and a tireless leader. Gloucester has put the fine gloss on his game, and he earns his spurs for his country in our team.
Back-up: Donncha O'Callaghan

3 Carl Hayman - Merciless in the scrum, as we all knew, but there are few props in world rugby who would have popped up in the end of that move begun by Rico Gear at Twickenham as Hayman did. Yet another All Blacks player with an all-round game to back-up his specialist skills.
Back-up: Omar Hasan

2 Raphaël Ibañez - Came out of retirement not so long ago, and looked by far the freshest French player on the park all month. The only hooker to truly stand out for doing more than his fair share of work in the loose, and calmness and respect personified at all times. Who would bet against him leading France into the next World Cup, as he did eight years ago?
Back-up: Mario Ledesma

1 Tony Woodcock - As with Hayman, destructive in the scrum, a crazed bull in the loose, and instrumental in Hayman's try at Twickenham with a 50-yard run to support Rico Gear.
Back-up: Andrea Lo Cicero

Replacements: 16 Mario Ledesma, 17 Andrea Lo Cicero, 18 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 19 Elvis Vermeulen, 20 Dwayne Peel, 21 Gordon D'Arcy, 22 Rico Gear

Individual teams:

Dave Morris XV: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Joe Rococoko, 13 Mils Muliaina, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Agustin Pichot, 8 Denis Leamy, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Marco Bortolami, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Raphaël Ibañez, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Marcus Leach XV: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 James Hook, 11 Christophe Dominici, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Denis Leamy, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Marco Bortolami (c), 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Raphaël Ibañez, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero.

Jan de Koning XV: 15 Francois Steyn, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Agustín Pichot, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Ignacio Fernández Lobbe, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Raphaël Ibañez, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Danny Stephens XV: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 James Hook, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Agustin Pichot, 8 Elvis Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Raphaël Ibañez, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Paul Dobson XV: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12 Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Elvis Vermeulen, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Paul O’Connell, 4 Donncha O’Callaghan, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Tony Woodcock.