One of the debates of the modern era is the value of British Lions rugby in the wider schedule of World Cups, Six Nations and Tri-Nations.
Where England are concerned, it's a delicious irony that the 1997 victorious tour of SA informed so much of what became Club England, a side built upon legends of the modern game that earned their stripes on that tour.
Hill, Back, Dallaglio, Johnson, Dawson, Healey, Shaw and Leonard all played fundamental parts in that series victory and took their learning back to Twickenham; learning that served England so well for the next six or so years.
John Wells is a man not given to hyperbole. Indeed the granite man from the blind side of Leicester was always one to let his game do the talking rather than let his talk promote his game.
"The position we (England) find ourselves in is unusual," he said.
"Where are the 27 year olds and the 28 year olds? They are not there. We have to hope that the time we invest in the young twenty-somethings pays dividends. We're aware there's a gulf that exists, but we must make do with what we have and invest enough time to allow those players to fulfil their potential."
Wells is spot on; Clive Woodward has been criticised in the past for failing to see the need for a sustainable future to the England side, and concentrating only on winning the Rugby World Cup.
"It's not really Clive's fault," mused Wells.
"He was there to produce a winning side, end of story. And it's certainly not part of Rob's job description either."
Watching the London double-header, Wells' words proved prophetic. In the London Irish/Wasps encounter the best back on the field by some distance was Mike Catt, who was rumoured to have travelled to the game using his recently acquired free bus pass, and Tom Rees and Simon Shaw - at diametrically opposing ends of Wells' periodic table - proved the backbone of the somewhat moderate Wasp resistance.
The type of player coming through compounds the gulf Wells' rightly identifies. England are woefully short of the new breed of rugby athlete personified by, say, Sergio Parisse, Rodney So'oialo and Schalk Burger.
"We have to make do with what we have," said Wells.
"I'm very happy with the back row combination that showed up so well in New Zealand, and we have Moody waiting in the wings, pushing all the time, should we need that extra physicality shown by the likes of Schalk Burger at blind or openside."
The truth is England need a little more time. This is a most important time for Club England and a period that will inform whether they slip back into the mediocrity of the Robinson years or rise again to emulate the noble deeds of Johnson and Woodward; "We have two years to make the talent stick and then make it stick for another six years," stated Wells.
Wells would have been cheered then, by the second match of the day, when a couple of young England hopefuls laid down a marker.
Adam Powell on a losing side was in imperious and impish form, looking some way between a lightweight version of Scott Gibbs (Eddie Jones announced he'd shed 3kgs during the summer) and a faster Will Groonwood, whilst Danny Care probed, sniped and prodded at the Saracens defence all afternoon.
Dean Richards reflected that the ELVs suited Care: "The 5m defence rule simply plays into the hands of players like Care and Tom Guest who have pace to exploit the space. Guest was very close to starting today and he will play for England this season without a doubt."
Whilst you have to admire Wells' pragmatism and grounding, and sympathise with the lack of quality English players in their prime, yesterday's games showed that the cupboard perhaps is not as bare as Wells would like to make out. Certainly, judging by the turn out of 54,000 on a soaking west London day, the public want to see both successful rugby and successful English rugby.