Actually, England £2,2-million (R2,52-billion) and Georgia £20,000 (R229 800) would be the more accurate summary of the gulf between the two countries. We’ve just knocked off a couple of noughts for simplicity’s sake.
Those figures show much these two proud rugby-playing nations are spending on the preparation for their opening match of the 2003 Rugby World Cup here next Sunday.
While England have spared no expence, living for weeks at the five-star Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey, employing a vast army of coaches and flying in on flat-beds in first class, Georgia are penniless.
The total annual sports budget of this former Soviet state amounts to £120,000, a paltry figure shared with swimming, basketball, football and handball.
Georgia’s rugby players are paid precisely nothing to be here. Not even expences. All the Georgian rugby budget has been spent on travel and kit in a nation where the average wage amounts to around £35 a month.
Two of the Georgian players have been forced to stay at home and play for their French clubs, Beziers and Collomiers, as they could not afford to take two months off.
Nick Chipizubov, their suitably tiny liaison officer, told me at yesterday’s chaotic training session: “It’s really sad. Last night the players all sat in the hotel and watched television. They can’t really afford to go out for a beer.
“They are getting no money from the participation agreement and no expences. They just can’t afford to go out.
“They are trying to survive purely on the hotel meals. It’s so sad to see these players wandering about.”
Woodward makes no apologies for the financial gulf between the two nations. At last night’s arrival press conference here, he responded to queries about England’s lavish preparation saying: “I think we should spend more money on England! I’ve never said we spend too much. As far as I’m concerned, we’re within budget.
“Yes, we have a big coaching staff. We have a chef who specialises in Uncle Ben’s rice who actually saves us money.
“Bringing the wives along? That’s how we always operate. I trust these guys completely. They are superstar athletes. They don’t bring children in to the hotel but wives, girlfriends and parents are welcome in the camp.
“It’s just common sense to me. They’re all welcome.”
Georgia, their bibs provided by the French Union and kit flown in by the RFU, can only dream of flying their wives to Australia.