The other day, I was holding up my 16-year-old pair of black Via Spiga half boots pondering the inevitable.

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Wales, by contrast, totalled 14 points from the boots of fly-half Stephen Jones and centre James Hook, the latter's late drop-goal giving Wales breathing space as Italy pressed in the final quarter.

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But then the next thing you know, he's gone out and opened new lines of credit at a half a dozen stores where he's bought matching boots and earmuffs.

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The 33-year-old former Wigan and Great Britain half-back said a succession of knee and head injuries had led him to hang up his boots.

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