AMID the wild celebrations which greeted two extraordinary victories over Antipodean opposition, some may have wondered what all the fuss was about.

They may have questioned just why England and Great Britain were being hailed for supreme performances in overcoming such untouchables during a wondrous weekend.

The answer would, no doubt, have been found in the burning eyes of the Australians when they sat on the soggy Twickenham and Huddersfield turf contemplating the unthinkable - defeat.

It is a term which has become alien to the Aussie psyche in the last 20 years while for England it now has a more permanent feel to it. The plaudits following victories, so richly deserved, though, should not mask the truth that it is the Australians now, not the Home Nations, who call the tune. They are the standard bearers in so many sports, such is their growing dominance. In a summer in which the Aussies eased English cricket back into the doldrums and tamed the Lions, the point scarcely needs reinforcing.

Ben Hinshelwood, however, is another clear reminder of the chasm between what is bred into our youngsters and what is hammered into the Australian colts. Hinshelwood was one of 16 new players to arrive at Worcester during a summer of change.

But if he was one of the lesser known recruits, the 24-year-old has made his presence felt with a series of impressive displays. The full back returns to Bedford on Saturday for the first time since his departure with a Worcester side at the National One summit.

His versatility has proved a major reason why he has played every game this season but at 15, he feels he's found his place.

"I've played 12, 13 and 15 a lot while back home I played quite a bit at 10," he said.

"I like full back, I probably enjoy it the most. You obviously get more ball to play with in that position and against Bracknell on Sunday, I was certainly tested out.

"You do have a lot of pressure on you but then you put a lot of pressure on yourself to make sure you do well."

It is an interesting statement and one which seems to embody the Australian ethos. Hinshelwood's amiable manner may seem a million miles away from the steely-eyed Steve Waugh and with a Scottish dad and a New Zealand-born mum - he's not your average Aussie.

However, he shares the same mentality as General Waugh. A belief which has been drummed in from an early age - winning is everything, second means nothing. It is a culture which has been instilled in the Aussie youth for decades and now, after their continuing global dominance, shows up England's inclination for 'non competitive' sports at school as utterly counter-productive.

"As kids you spend every moment playing sports," he added.

"Obviously it's a lot easier back home - you can get outdoors every day and it's not cold. There is, in the country and in schools, a lot of emphasis on sport and teamwork. There is also a lot of recognition for good performance - it is a major part of our culture.

"The Government is also very supportive of sport and knows the value. Our Prime Minister is probably the biggest rugby supporter - you see him at all the games. He loves cricket as well. It goes right from the top all the way down.

"Everyone's heroes are sportsmen and women in Australia. There is always a lot of competition in our country and that is always encouraged, you are pushed quite hard by teachers and coaches to do well. Even in the park, no-one wants to lose and from the start you always want to win.

"I was talking to someone the other day about England and here they seem to cater for the lowest common denominator at most schools while if you are talented - you have to go to another school. Back home, everyone is encouraged to do their best and that must be good. A lot of emphasis is on winning in Australia but also by doing it in the right manner."

He will, no doubt, be desperate to prove his worth at Goldington Road on his return. After a 12-month stay he still has many friends in Bedford but those acquaintances will be forgotten for 80 minutes on Saturday. Hinshelwood is now focusing on promotion to the Premiership.

"It will be my first time of playing against a former club," he said.

"It's a bit strange but it definitely spurs me on to make sure I'm on the winning side. I'm really enjoying full time rugby at Worcester and I'd love to win promotion this year. It's what everyone wants here at the club and I'm certainly no different to that."

And as another top sportsman roles off the Australian conveyor belt, it's not difficult to fathom just why they are successful. After a Tory party which so shamelessly washed its hands of any obligation to the nation's sporting youth, we were given promises by Labour which palpably were paper thin.

The Government continues to prove sport does not count with it's farcical handling of the World Cup bid, national stadium and, more recently, the world athletics fiasco. But then you look at what sport has done for Australia with full political backing.

World and Olympic champions trip off the tongue while, in sharp contrast, Britain's athletes from across the whole spectrum of sport bemoan the lack of funding or equipment. Then you realise that the politically correct have not been allowed to colonise Australia with such terms as 'non competitive'. When we pat our youngsters on the back for finishing last, are we maybe missing the point? Recognition for achievement should not be confused with unkindness because if the loser gets the same as the winner - what is the point in excellence?

As the Australians finished second in both codes over the weekend, you sense few would have patted them on the back and said it didn't really matter. They would have known what to expect. And after a season at Bedford, Hinshelwood's old club certainly knows what's coming on Saturday. Yet another dose of Aussie Rule.