Disarray everywhere, or it seems. Not just in Welsh rugby, but in English cricket too, as the tour to India hit crisis proportions as injuries and the mysterious departure home of Marcus Trescothick ravaged the squad.

And that was before the first Test in Nagpur began. Then we had a poor first day England batting display, on the flattest of pitches, to contend with, rescued only by a superb debut half century from the young left-handed opening batsman Alastair Cook and then the completion of a fine century on the second day from Paul Collingwood, whose spirited and often skilful (especially against the spinners) batting this winter is all too often overlooked.

Maybe it is because people are still wondering aloud how on earth the Durham all-rounder merited an MBE in the New Year's honours list, given that he only played in the final Ashes Test at the Oval.

Actually, on that point, I was rather taken by a letter in a national newspaper this week in reference to Scotland's stunning rugby victory over England with just the slightest dig at the Ashes heroes and maybe some confusion with the honour bestowed on Clive Woodward after England 's 2003 Rugby World Cup success.

"Why no knighthood for Frank Hadden and MBEs all round for the glorious victors in the Calcutta Cup? Surely the sole criterion is to beat a team you have not beaten for a while and win a trophy contested only between those two teams?"

The Ashes seems so long ago now and let us just hope that it is not Michael Vaughan's greatest and final triumph. Already he is being compared to Jonny Wilkinson, but there is a crucial difference in that Vaughan has actually played for his country since the Ashes. Wilkinson has not done so since the World Cup.

But still Vaughan's knee must be a worry. I have mentioned my concerns before in these pages, using harsh personal experience, and was interested to read that Darren Gough has already been in touch with Vaughan suggesting the possibility of a trip to Germany to see Dr Hans Muller-Wohlfahrt.

He's the man whose injections of crushed cockerels' combs have saved Gough's career as well as many other top sportsmen and women, including, of course, Gavin Henson upon whom he performed a groin operation recently.

In many people's eyes Muller-Wohlfahrt is little more than a 'quack' but it may be that Vaughan has little choice but to seek some alternative medicine.

It would also seem sensible if he decided to give up one-day cricket (in which his record has not been great anyway) and concentrated on Test cricket.

I wish him all the best in his recovery but in truth fear for him, just as I do a little for Simon Jones.

His new knee injury is thankfully not even on the same knee as his horrific injury in Australia in 2002 but, considering that he travelled to India with problems with both his ankle and elbow, it goes to show how injury-prone he is.

Nobody likes that sort of reputation but often it is no fault of the person himself - sometimes bad luck intervenes and there is little you can do about it.

Jones has had injuries throughout his career and I think we just have to accept that. It may be that he does not have an especially long career, but both we and he should enjoy it while it lasts. It will never be dull.

As for the Trescothick issue, naturally there have been lots of rumours and speculation. It is clearly a very delicate and sensitive issue which needs to remain private, so we should leave it at that and hope that it resolves itself quickly and in everyone's interests.

All this has left Andrew Flintoff in charge of the England team; an interesting situation to say the least, especially as Andrew Strauss would have been most people's choice as stand-in skipper.

Maybe Strauss' recent downturn in form has contributed to it, but there is little doubt that Flintoff desperately wanted the job.

In fact I thought I detected obvious signs of unhappiness in Pakistan when he was overlooked when Vaughan returned home.

There did not seem to be the same joyous celebrations when he took a wicket, for example. He has his chance now though and some job it is going to be for him.

A final word about the rugby. Henson did have a shocker in Dublin, but I still think it was the correct decision to have him on the bench.

Ceri Sweeney was still injured and that would have just left Cardiff Blues' Nicky Robinson, who has been having an indifferent season. It may even have done Henson some good - reality checks usually do.

I just wish his advisers would keep him in check more. For him to use the word 'suicidal' afterwards and say that he could not face playing rugby was just plain silly.

Maybe he was just being honest - which is great for us journalists - but as a former professional sportsman I know that you cannot always be so candid.

Sometimes it is much better to keep quiet, or at least just tow the party line, and get on with the job out on the field. Indeed everyone connected with Welsh rugby at the moment might do well to heed that advice.