COLIN Charvis is a lucky man. Not only is he still the Wales captain, but he's still in Argentina.

Both privileges - for that is what they are - could have been removed from him after his staggering decision not to talk to the media in protest at a pay cut.

It appears that in recent times Wales rugby captains have been paid extra for media duties, whereas now a flat fee has been agreed for all players.

There was also an issue of compensation for Charvis from the WRU for missing the last month of the season with Tarbes to prepare for the Argentina tour.

But there are ways and ways of making a point. Going on a form of strike is most definitely not one of them. It's not as if Charvis has anything worthwhile to say when he does talk to the media and he sometimes comes over as being aloof.

Charvis is, in fact, one of the least co-operative captains Wales have had in recent times.

I could go all the way back to Gareth Edwards, to the days when players and captains were paid precisely nothing for doing what counterparts today receive handsome remuneration for doing.

Yet they believed it was an honour to play for Wales, they sweated blood to do it, they worked all hours during the week and then represented Wales, in some cases, like former Newport captain Brian Price, without any pay from their employers.

Times change, of course, but maybe today's players and captains, or some of them, ought to realise just how lucky they are. No wonder it all makes the blood boil of a former great Wales captain Mervyn Davies, who quite understandably calls for Charvis to be stripped of the captaincy and to be sent home.

That won't happen, not least because it could cause major disruption on the current tour and further detract from the main purpose, which is to play rugby.

But the Charvis issue is on the back burner, it's not forgotten and could be dealt with for the autumn internationals.

He hasn't helped himself right through his career during which he has been accident prone and a bit of a problem child.

Then he got himself sin-binned on Saturday in the first Test against Argentina, again hardly the right kind of example to set as Wales captain.

I doubt that Charvis will be around as Wales captain for the November internationals. Nor should he. It looks as though the Southern Hemisphere is on the march again, with Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia vanquishing Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland, respectively.

But that was nothing like as amusing as the England football debacle. Switching from the Buick Classic golf in America for the final five minutes of the Euro showdown with France on Sunday was one of my better decisions.

What a delicious twist of the knife by France. England kept going on false adrenalin until they faded to match the faded jeans they wear to set off their earrings and tattoos so nicely.

Consolation will be the vast amount of money they get. Money again, which is where we came in with Charvis. Well, soon enough it's going to be bye, bye Charvis and bye, bye England. Not a bad double.