By Bryn Palmer

This proved to be Johnson's last act as England skipper

If a week is a long time in politics, this past year in English rugby feels like a lifetime.

Remember Martin Johnson, that grizzled warrior of the second row, lifting the World Cup only 12 months ago?

Or that Wilkinson bloke, kicking the drop goal which delivered the game's glittering prize?

Neither of them have played for England since, and our Jonny must be wondering when he will again.

But they are not alone out there in the international wilderness, voluntarily or otherwise.

Of the 22 involved on that momentous night in Sydney, only nine were part of the match-day squad when the current autumn internationals began.

Remarkably, only four of the 15 that started at the Telstra Stadium were still in situ, with hooker Steve Thompson the only survivor from England's vaunted pack.

Never before has a team that scaled the ultimate peak disintegrated so quickly, or have results taken such a nose-dive in the year following a World Cup triumph.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...? 15 J Lewsey - back to top form 14 J Robinson - captain marvel 13 W G'wood - bench duty 12 M Tindall - vice captain 11 B Cohen - bench duty 10 J Wilkinson - injured, again 9 M Dawson - axed from squad 1 T Woodman - injured 2 S Thompson - still there 3 P Vickery - injured again 4 M Johnson - retired 5 B Kay - bench duty 6 R Hill - injured for season 7 N Back - retired 8 L Dallaglio - retired Rep: M Catt - dropped Rep: J Leonard - retired Rep: I Balshaw - injured again Rep: L Moody - back in team Rep: K Bracken - retired Rep: M Corry - back in team Rep: D West - retired

The reasons are not hard to discern. The England squad that won in Australia was already an ageing one, as they were constantly reminded with the "Dad's Army" jibes down under.

With 14 of the party already into their 30s when the tournament began, there was always going to be a changing of the guard in the months that followed.

Of that 30-something group, only Danny Grewcock, Julian White and Will Greenwood are currently still involved, with eight now in Test retirement.

Captain Johnson was the first to call time in January, rightly deciding he had nothing left to achieve after a decade of graft in the white jersey.

Jason Leonard, Neil Back, Dorian West, Kyran Bracken, Paul Grayson, Lawrence Dallaglio and, most recently, Mark Regan, all eventually followed.

Back intended to carry on but jacked it in after Sir Clive Woodward made it clear he no longer valued the flanker's input. Woodward later admitted he had been too hasty.

Dallaglio, one of the few who continued to perform like a world champion after succeeding Johnson as captain, bemoaned the ridiculous demands on top players for his own departure.

After defeats to Ireland and France saw them lose their Six Nations crown, England's weary squad found a return trek to the southern hemisphere last summer a tour too far.

Woodward and Dallaglio both departed after defeat down under

Many found the off-field demands on a world champion affected their form on it, while Matt Dawson's commitment to his media career over rugby saw him unceremoniously axed.

"Post-World Cup syndrome" claimed several victims, Will Greenwood, Ben Kay and Ben Cohen among them. All three are currently replacements, striving to reclaim top-dog status.

Injury cut down others, most notably Richard Hill and Wilkinson, the youngest and most celebrated member of the World Cup squad.

No sooner was he appointed captain by Andy Robinson than he suffered another injury, leaving Jason Robinson - refreshed after a summer off - to lead England into a new era.

By that stage of course, the architect of England's World Cup victory had also departed.

After a disappointing Six Nations and humiliating summer tour, Woodward jumped ship with a blistering tirade at the Premiership clubs over a perceived lack of co-operation.

With hindsight it seemed to be asking a lot anyway for one man to keep England at the top of the tree whilst simultaneously plotting a Lions campaign to New Zealand.

Now Woodward has gone, along with some of the all-time great England players, and a new generation will be striving to repeat their deeds in France three years hence.

If many of the heroes of Sydney are no longer at the coal-face, their glorious legacy lives on.