SWANNY'S WORLD OF SPORT: Why Cook quitting is a good thing, Brady is the best of the bunch, six observations from the Six Nations

Alastair Cook has done his country a great service by quitting.

Alastair Cook is a great cricketer, but a dull, uninspiring skipper.

I now look forward to some innovative and positive captaincy from Joe Root.

Cook can concentrate on accumulating more batting records. I fully expect this to happen now he no longer has to worry about where to hide Adil Rashid in the field and when he can possibly bowl Moeen Ali without seeing the opposition run-rate soar.

Tom Brady, my hero of the wporting week.

Cook looked a haunted figure in India. It was clear his time was up so I’m glad he came to the same conclusion.

Root’s captaincy of the Test team should be accompanied by his release from Twenty/20 cricket. Root’s not powerful enough for slog cricket. He was a hindrance in the recent India series.

BRADY THE BEST OF THE BUNCH

To compete strongly in the rough and tumble of American Football at the age of 39 is pretty impressive. Quarterback Tom Brady was even sacked a couple of times in the first-half of the Superbowl by the dominant Atlanta side and yet recovered to steer the New England Patriots to an amazing comeback victory. Sheer class and a deserving ‘hero of the week’.

NEVER REWARD FAILURE

Six observations from the opening weekend of the Six Nations Championship.

1) Rugby union is a boring spectacle unless New Zealand are playing.

2) England are now so good they can win despite playing abysmally.

3) Why are points now being awarded to losers? Failure should never be rewarded.

4) It took two minutes to complete one scrummage in the England/France game. What a bore off. I suspect referees are as confused by scrummage laws as the rest of us.

5) England coach Eddie Jones (above) is a bloody genius.

6)Old school lineouts should return. Jump from a standing start and test your athleticism rather than get lifted up by a muscle-bound team-mate.