And so, as June arrives the beach recedes. Up the motorway to Manchester for more rugby, a semi-final of the Zurich Championship, an appendage to the season designed to... designed to... sorry, haven't a clue.
Perhaps it was to create another gateway into the Heineken Cup. Yes, maybe that's it. The Zurich Championship: designed to afford an avenue into Europe. Well, here we have it. Manchester Sale, or the North West Sharks as we must learn to call them, against Gloucester, who I don't suppose will ever be anything but Gloucester. Two sides with Europe to play for. Except that they have both already qualified for next season's Heineken Cup. Back to square one, then. What's it's all about? Where's my beach?
It's a bit presumptuous to think that the Zurich Championship carries greater clout than the Heineken Cup and should stretch itself a full two weeks beyond the Munster-Leicester final in Cardiff, but what the hell. England won't win the World Cup of 2003 by not believing they can't drag in an audience during the World Cup of 2002. Did I put enough negatives in that sentence?
It's not as bad as all that. Sale at least are on a roll and won't want to end the season without adding a second trophy to the club's first ever, the Shield they won last Sunday in Oxford against Pontypridd in the Parker Pen final. From nothing ever to a double would be a bit of a first.
Gloucester, too, showed against Newcastle that they are in the mood to go out in style. Bring the curtain down with a flourish. Mind you, in Gloucester they'd play on through July given half a chance. A day out on the Sharpness Canal would do as a close season, thank you very much.
Their quarter-final against Newcastle did have the added spice of being the day Rob Andrew was welcomed back to Kingsholm, 'welcomed' being used in its broadest sense. It was a rare reception, that's for sure. Quite whether the travelling Shed - does that count as a mobile home? - can work themselves up into a sing-song for an away day in a leafy suburb of Manchester is a different matter. 'Are you watching, Rob Andrew?' had a sort of hackneyed cadence to it. 'Are you paying attention, Jim Mallinder?' may not scan quite as well. No doubt they'll think of something.
Still, with a bit of luck we'll see James Simpson-Daniel, the longest name ever to go round Jonah Lomu, up against Mark Cueto and Steve Hanley. Simpson-Daniel has introduced dancing to wing play in Gloucester and they're still rubbing their eyes in delighted disbelief. Hanley is back to his robust best, and Cueto against Pontypridd looked the most complete of the three. Ponty contained Jason Robinson, but they found Cueto a right handful.
So, there is something to look forward to after all. Plus Brian Redpath against Andy Gomarsall, a slice of Scotland v England. Or Ludovic Mercier against Charlie Hodgson: France-England in the other half-back head-to-head. Very interesting. The M6 or the B327 to Marloes Sands? The motorway is still calling.
