The sun is set fair, the turf is firm, there are fewer finer backdrops in world rugby than a resplendent Twickenham and, at virtually full strength, both teams boast of ideal preparations after resounding opening wins in the championship. If this doesn't set our pulses racing then we should be with our doctors.
Never one to shy away from talking up a game, yesterday even Clive Woodward could hardly contain himself at his eve-of-match press conference when speaking of "a fantastic game", "a great game", "a wonderful match" and "a great occasion" in the making.
You sense Woodward suffers from an occasional low boredom threshold and that, deep down, he's really a bit of an 'oul traditionalist when it comes to the Six Nations - despite the occasional mutterings from within the English game of breaking off into more meaningful global action with opposition more befitting of their "grand status".
Thus, whatever about the Swing Low brigade enjoying ritual slaughters of all-comers at Twickers in the championship these past few years, deep down team England like a challenge once in a while. Now, palpably, they sense they're going to get one.
"It's great to see Six Nations games which are just as big a challenge for us as playing against Australia and South Africa in the autumn," he commented, the inference being that this doesn't happen too often, especially at Twickenham. Ireland have earned the compliment of course, all the more so after becoming the latest Celtic upstart to deny England a grand slam last October in Lansdowne Road. How much would that be a motivating factor? "None at all," he lied.
Eddie O'Sullivan and Mick Galwey were equally willing to repeatedly talk up the opposition in their press conference an hour and a half later in their Teddington hideaway. "If you don't perform they're capable of putting 50 points on you as they did here two years ago," observed Galwey, clearly echoing a constant reminder within the Irish camp.
Despite retaining six of that starting line-up, Ireland are virtually unrecognisable from that seismic afternoon. Ireland immediately tore up their script, investing in younger players with pace and a higher tempo game, and more designed to hurt teams out wide. Since then Ireland have lost only five of their 18 tests.
With only one-third of last October's line-up, even England's vengefulness may be diminished. This is more of a form selection and this time they're equally well prepared. They'll hardly go for the champagne stuff out wide through Jason Robinson, Austin Healey and co without also letting Martin Johnson and the rest rumble the hard yards.
"In a word no," said O'Sullivan when asked if England had any weaknesses. "They're a very solid unit. They defend very well when they don't have the ball - they really make you work hard for your gain lines - and when they do have the ball they keep it for long periods. And if you lose your shape defensively they can do a lot of damage. It's very hard to find a weakness."
In truth they didn't find too many even in victory last October, save for Keith Wood's try from the back of the line-out. The official match stats also revealed that Wood was Ireland's leading tackler (with 11) and joint leading ball carrier (with seven). He's a big player for the big games, and he could be missed for this one.
The line-outs generally will again be critical and judging by their performance in Murrayfield with Ben Kay on board, England ought not to suffer as much this time. They've probably targeted the Irish scrum. However, if Ireland's tight five holds their end up, the possibilities are endless.
There are plenty of promising auguries too. Galwey's record against England is 3-2 in starts. There is the link between the Wallaces of today and Richie of '94, while of course, with a possible neat sense of symmetry, '93 in Dublin was followed by '94 in Twickenham. And O'Sullivan has also put one over Woodward at under-21 level.
For Ireland to be competing in the meat of the match, they cannot afford to let England cut loose in what is likely to be a 'full-on' opening half-hour, for on Ireland's last two visits here it was done and dusted well before half-time. At home, where they've won 13 in a row, and bearing in mind 15 wins from their last 16 tests, England are entitled to be favourites but you go through the 15 head-to-heads and there ain't that much in it.
As well as potential gamebreakers like Brian O'Driscoll, Denis Hickie, Geordan Murphy and David Wallace, Ireland's bench is equally impressive looking. This is the boldest Irish side to enter the Twickenham den in quite some time and they can really rattle England's cage.
"I'll tell you a weakness," said Brian O'Brien regarding England, "they're human, as we are." Since the record win over Wales, O'Brien's mantra has been "one swallow doesn't make a summer." Asked yesterday how many swallows would make a summer, the Irish manager invoked an old song when concluding proceedings thus: "I'll tell you when we get to Capistrano."
For Capistrano, read Twickenham.
OVERALL: Played 114. England 67 wins. Ireland 39 wins. Drawn 8. HIGHEST SCORE: England - 50-18 in 2000. Ireland - 26-21 in 1974. BIGGEST WINNING MARGIN: England - 46-6 in 1997. Ireland - 22-0 in 1947.
MOST POINTS IN MATCH: England - 23 by Paul Grayson in 1996. Ireland - 21 by Ollie Campbell in 1983.
BETTING: (Paddy Power): 1/6 England, 20/1 Draw, 4/1 Ireland. Handicap odds (= Ireland + 14pts) 10/11 England, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Ireland.
