Today is the birthday of Ernest Hemingway, who matters a great deal to me, and to commemorate it I'm posting a piece that I wrote for the much-missed literary journal Prufrock. It's about Hemingway and luck and what it maybe means to live and write well.

Very difficult thing to do for a young guy who has set the tournament on fire and is being spoken up everywhere. Very impressive.

The most impressive thing about Hashim Pied in the final was how tight and focused he was. Spent the game servicing the backline, putting in the kicks, not looking for glory. Only broke once, to score the try that was unfortunately chalked off. Proper big-game temperament.

RT @alancommittie: Champions! Wherever you look.

This tweet aged well.

Isn't there some other age group we can also play New Zealand in a final?.

Baby Boks have managed this match beautifully so far. Kept total control of thge momentum and now calmly strangling the life out of them.

These Baby Boks look to be very composed and mentally mature. With all their flair and speed, they're still playing finals rugby. I like it.

While their team were facing up to us, their families back home were fighting against an even bigger and more ruthless foe. We're not the only troubled rugby country.

Faf's having his best game since the World Cup.

Faf doing his damndest to show that he isn't going anywhere.

Strong chance Top Dog is going to be one of the stalwarts who doesn't make it to the next one.

The Georgian word for "hello" is "Garmarjoba", which means, "I wish you victory." They're a country of hard-bastard warriors, and I'd love to see them build and become a major rugby nation.

Tom Curry is consistently the luckiest player in the northern hemisphere. Gets away with far too much.

Australia have the line speed of Nancy Reagan.

All of that - from the crowd to the vibe to the maul-lineout to Edwil's two tries to Grant's pace to Andre playing two positions to Willie's 100 to Rassie's grin - that was all just a lekker afternoon of rugby.

By the time we get to the next World Cup, I can foresee Andre Esterhuizen being one of our key players.

More innovation from Rassie: playing a no. 4 lock who avoids contact.

I'm somewhat stunned to hear that a coach would say to his captain, "Let the legends keep the big scores". Effectively: "You don't deserve to break the record, and we don't deserve to have it.".

RT @tickerscricket: Sobers had 856 Test runs @ 34 when he broke Hutton's record. You lot would have called him a disgrace.