Why seeing England win the Women’s Rugby World Cup was such a joy - Sarah Todd

More than the final score, what gave me the most pleasure is that these young women are so very deserving of any adulation they are receiving. They have worked hard and achieved something; all while conducting themselves as exemplary role models.

At a time when there is a shocking number of young girls obsessed with their looks (instead of asking for bats and balls, bikes and roller-skates modern birthday wish lists are often a chemical-laden line up of expensive skincare products they have seen advertised on social media platforms such as TikTok) it is simply super to see such a group of healthy young women.

All shapes and sizes, hair all over the place or practically pulled back and all more bothered about muscles than make up.

It was an extra bonus that a fair few of their number were from Yorkshire and - like the victorious lady football players before them - all of the squad have inspiring tales to tell. Of course, it’s not just them.

For every girl, there will be parents and grandparents, coaches and teachers; a whole band of people who have sacrificed so much to get them to training, selection sessions and matches along the way.

Yes, the ladies’ rugby team are proper role models, deserving of young girls’ admiration. The vacuous state of so many of the young female population - only interested in how many likes they have got on Instagram and daydreaming of appearing on reality television tripe such as Love Island - is a huge worry.

Instead of all the rubbish they spout, politicians should spend more time telling young girls that it is cool to do something. To read a book, to try hard in lessons, to invest in themselves.

Anything to steer them away from the banality of Botox injections or posting pictures of their backsides on social media. Also, being kind and thoughtful is a hugely underrated facet. We fail to instil good-naturedness in the next generation at our peril.

Not everybody’s going to be able to play rugby for their country, but how fantastic to join a team and get involved in something.

Not practicing what she preaches, this correspondent is actively campaigning for the heating to be turned on and the fire lit.

Well after all, there is the new series of All Creatures Great and Small to watch and guilty pleasures like Channel 4’s fly-on-the-wall series Educating Yorkshire. Then the new Freddie Flintoff programme to tune into.

Rather than hand wringing, the latter two programmes get stuck in and do their best with the challenges they have in front of them.

Yes, there are times when poor headmaster Mr Burton or former cricketing hero Flintoff have their hands tied by rules and regulations about how they can deal with the young scallywags. But they are both so clever, thinking outside the box to come up with ways to navigate the bumps in the road.

Thinking about bumps in the road, there is no doubt Sir Keir Starmer had plenty to navigate during the just-closing Labour party conference.

He would do well to take a leaf out of the aforementioned pair, Flintoff and Burton, in how he speaks to people. It’s not rocket science, but to get the most out of someone it’s important to not patronise or sneer.

Mr Burton has plenty of bad news to deliver, but he does it in a way that makes his pupils - like Freddie with his lot - feel like they are all batting for the same side.

Of course, modern rose-tinted James Herriot never seems to have a real tragedy to deal with. Unlike the old incumbents of Skeldale House, where animals died and there was blood and guts, everything always seems to come up smelling of roses in this updated version of the tales of the original Yorkshire vet.

But who cares about reality. Right here, right now, these autumnal evenings on the fictional farms of Darrowby are just what the doctor ordered.

Talking of doctors, back then they called around at the house and saw their patients the very same day.

It’s grass roots things, like seeing a doctor without a fortnight’s wait, that the political powers need to be concentrating on.

Almost everything else, to use rugby terms, is too trying and needs tackling.