A decade on and Jones is still “taking” from this unskilful game, not only with the tactics which every union coach has copied, but with personnel such as Ben Te’o. “What has league ever done for us?” he might cry in his own comedy, the Life of Eddie. “Well, apart from Jason Robinson, Israel Folau, Brad Thorn…”

The Australian newspaper claims Jones has “a magnificent obsession” with the 13-man code and this could be the ideal time for the Australian league authorities to apply for a restraining order.

Maybe, Jones was arguing that league does not make the most of its participants’ skills and has an over-reliance on the physical battle, but for those of us who enjoy both codes this is still bemusing. Did the Grand Slam-winning coach not watch the Six Nations and a highly mediocre set of fistures which only gave the northern brigade further opportunity to promote their erroneous theory that union is all about kicking and clapping and lying on top of each other?