England took a mauling in the Aussie media after the Poms beat South Africa ONLY 25-6, with headlines like 'Is That All You've Got' alongside a photo of Johnny Wilkinson.

Now key men in the Wallabies' camp are disagreeing.

Skipper George Gregan questioned England's skills under pressure against quality opposition, but coach Eddie Jones retorted: 'I must have been watching another game.

'I thought England went to another level and I thought their performance was absolutely first class.' Have the mind games started already?

If you think there's dissent in the camp in Wales or Australia, take a look at Fiji or have a glance at typical Aussie chip-on-the-shoulder stuff about the Queen and her family.

According to Epeli Lagiloa, coach of Northland Tailevu, there is: 'A big rift in the Fijian camp and the team management has totally lost the plot and control.'

He claimed the team were cheating the Fijian taxpayers as the government are the team's biggest financial contributor.

The Sydney Morning Herald, meanwhile, reports that the Queen sent England a fax before playing South Africa while ignoring the rest of her subjects from Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, Canada and Australia, and the paper is a bit miffed that Princess Anne is here to support Scotland. Sounds like sour grapes to me.

* President George Bush sweeps into the Australian capital Canberra tomorrow night, but contrary to reports, he won't be at Wales' match against Italy on Saturday.

The president really is making a flying visit, departing on Thursday without seeing a ball kicked in anger.

The president sees Australia as a key ally in the south-east corner of the world, especially with terrorist threats in the Far East, but he's not known as a rugby fan.

* Canada were geared up last night for a big effort against Italy this morning to remain in the World Cup with an outside chance of qualifying.

The big hunks are staying at our hotel, absolutely dominating the business room and the internet, while Newport's Rod Snow is frequently asking about the Dragons and Tony Brown.

I overheard a Canadian reporter interviewing him in the hotel lobby yesterday asking: 'So you've made a bit of a home in Wales?' After nine years, that's a bit of an understatement. He took delight in telling me he's the oldest surviving Newport player without any break.

And number eight Jeff Reid revealed he almost joined Newport last season, but had contractual problems in Australia. He lives here, qualifying for Canada through his mother.

* And finally, a memo to that super Newport-based physio Jeff Hemmerman, the former top footballer - you're way ahead of your Aussie counterparts.