England hosted greatest Rugby World Cup in history

Forget Twickenham stadium being the place to be. The entire area was completely abuzz.

This doesn't come as a surprise to anyone who got involved on opening day at the very same arena. Nor would it, to be honest, to those down in Brighton for Japan's all-time RWC moment at the last-gasp to stun the Springboks. Nor to Welsh diehards, especially at the Millennium Stadium, nor to the Scotland fans who made the short trip to St James's Park for their side's matches there. Not even to the Exeter Chiefs fans who likely felt as though years of fantastic progress for the local rugby community was justly rewarded with even only a couple of minor pool stage contests at Sandy Park.

While football, of course, continues to dominate on these shores (and many others), there's a distinctly more jovial spirit in the air for rugby's biggest tournament. Sure, the football World Cup does more business and catches more eyes, but while FIFA use words such as 'festival' to promote why you absolutely have to pay ridiculous sums of money just for a little taste of their stronghold over their showpiece, the RWC has for six weeks here in England and Wales properly captured the spirit of the word.

A 'Twickenham special' on display as you walked from station to stadium was the array of 'back garden businesses', with residents cooking everything from chicken fajitas to falafel to pulled pork buns in their back gardens and offering rugby revellers a reasonably-priced alternative to the traditional stadia prices for their captive market. Some were even putting their profits towards charity.

After entering the ticketed area, one couldn't help but have a smile on their face as volunteers helped generate buzz in ridiculous costumes whilst giving out free flags and other props.

With two of the world's top rugby nations contesting the 48th and final contest of the six-week smorgasbord of rugger, an absorbing conclusion to a memorable period in a decade where these shores also hosted an Olympics and a rugby league World Cup was all-but guaranteed.

However it is the goings on outside the actual grounds that have been the true story of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. We have been fortunate enough to play host to a reminder of the importance of such major events - entertaining the fans.

Without such devoted supporters, major sports would not break the records and generate the revenue they do. It's something FIFA could really do with realising, as the pressure from authorities increases on an almost-weekly basis due to controversial decisions over the years.

Judging by the last six weeks - and especially opening day back on September 18, and especially today here at the final - the Rugby World Cup has been a step forward in the battle for giving fans what they deserve, and a particularly-welcome experience for a nation that has grown jaded over the years from being ripped off and treated like little more than cash cows for exploitative business practices.

This tournament has not been cheap, by any means. But if you give a sports fan their money's worth, they will gleefully share their debit card security code with you.

Now, when do we book for Japan?