So, farewell then, Mike Catt, and thank you from Sportsvibe and all English lovers of sport, especially rugby. For a young South African who backpacked to Bath and decided to stay and transform into a world-class rugby star the man did more than well. We know the facts - 75 caps for England, a World Cup winners medal, an MBE, a Lions test cap - but there's more to Catt than just this. Always personable and engaging, and never afraid to speak his mind or get his views across even when it may not have been political to do so, Catt is one of the best examples I can think of in sport of a man who kept lifting himself off the ground to return to the top. He's had many, many lows. Few have suffered so many injuries as Catt, nor been booed by a Twickenham crowd for kicking poorly for England. Then, of course, there is the indelible memory of Jonah Lomu using him as a floor mat in the 1995 World Cup semi-final. But the highs outweight the lows by far, top of which is the incredible feat of playing in four World Cups, including two finals and a semi. There were many who were writing the man off even before the 2003 World Cup which he made at the eleventh hour after being injured for most of the season, let alone the 2007 tournament which, of course, we all thought he stood no chance of making. There were many reasons why England became world champions but one is undoubtedly the impact Catt made when he came off the bench for the quarter-final second half in a game England were deservedly losing to Wales and turned the game. Bath and London Irish have both benefitted hugely from Catt's presence as well, both on the pitch as a player, and off it as a coach and mentor. And who can forget the memory of Catt kicking the ball into Row Z in Sydney on that balmy November evening seven years' ago to end the most dramatic World Cup final in history. There is one naggingdoubt in my head, however, and it is this: Mike Catt reminds me of the knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail, the one who insists on continuing the fight with King Arthur when he has his legs chopped off, and who then calls it a draw when both arms are also severed. Has he really retired? Or will he back for England for the 2015 World Cup aged 43? Unlikely, I know. Very unlikely. But with Mike Catt, you can never, ever say never.
