IT'S near enough Christmas, it's the season of goodwill and there's a feelgood factor throughout UK rugby - and that includes Wales.

I can't believe I just wrote that, but it's true all the same. And when could we last say that and mean it with some conviction?

Only someone without a soul could fail to be moved by England's victory parade through the centre of London yesterday after their momentous achievement in winning the World Cup.

People prepared to camp out overnight, take the day off, queue for hours to see their all-conquering heroes parade the trophy on an open top bus through Regent Street, Marble Arch and on to Trafalgar Square.

All of it watched by millions at the scene or on TV, completely heartwarming, and many were touched by the emotion of it all.

And after that an audience with the Queen and with the Prime Minister. The cynics, the ultra ante-English, the sour pusses, those poor people in mind and body who believe the Welsh nation is in mourning may have objected, but everyone with real feelings were genuinely pleased and happy.

Martin Johnson stood as unmoved as ever, Clive Woodward soaked it up while Jonny Wilkinson looked plain bemused by it all.

What it does is throw into sharp focus those like Wilkinson who can turn down £1m deals from top showbiz magazines because they just don't want that kind of adulation compared with the soccer boys dripping in wealth, swanning around in their Ferraris and living in mansions who mop up that sort of thing.

The Celtic nations can also take their share of the glory, Wales having rocked both England and the All Blacks with those terrific performances, really going for it and earning new found respect in the rugby world.

And, it has to be said, the signs are encouraging on the domestic front.

I said after the first week of the Celtic League post-World Cup that no conclusions could be reached after one weekend and some poor results and crowds.

Sure enough, come the Heineken Cup and things improved dramatically.

Three Welsh teams - Newport Gwent Dragons, Llanelli Scarlets and Celtic Warriors - all won, the first two against former champions.

And the crowds improved too, the Dragons and Scarlets attracting their best attendances of the season.

The standard has improved,too, the Dragons playing good, basic, high intensity rugby and the Sale-Cardiff Blues game was a real belter, almost like England against Wales in front of a full-house Stockport crowd.

Support for the Dragons is also showing signs of improving and widening, too, for I saw officials from Pontypool and Newbridge in the main stand, while another ex-Abertillery man was there as well.

The deal struck between the Dragons and the Welsh Rugby Union came too late for the deadline on title names for the Celtic and Heineken competitions, hence the name of Gwent or Gwent Dragons still being used on Sky, for example.

But WRU chief David Moffett agreed last week that the official title is Newport Gwent Dragons which, together with the return of Tony Brown, ought to satisfy most.

He is wisely keeping his own counsel, but the players are delighted with his presence which can only aid the feeling of security after all the problems.

The prospect of Leicester and Stade Francais at Rodney Parade next month is mouth watering as a sense of expectation grows.

And then it's into the Six Nations where there is another feeling of anticipation. Could it just be that the good times are returning to Welsh rugby?

We don't want to go over the top, but that's still a rather nice feeling to take into Christmas.