England’s last meeting with New Zealand before next year’s Rugby World Cup is also their fourth Test against the All Blacks in six months, making this a sequel, a prequel and a stand-alone measurement of manhood rolled into one. No wonder both teams are so visibly up for it.

Listening to Andy Farrell speak on the eve of the contest, after England had wrapped up their final preparations, did little to reduce the suspicion the occasion will more than live up to its billing. “I sense nothing but excitement,” murmured England’s backs coach. “We’ve trained superbly for two weeks; the boys have done their work and their knowledge of the All Blacks is first class. I think that dispels a lot of fear going into big games like this.”

Win or lose, in other words, England are determined to go for it, rain or shine. Farrell, in particular, believes the visitors may be in for a rude awakening. “I don’t get any sense from our boys there’s an aura that can’t be broken down. Our players are trying to make their own aura. It’s still in the development stages but we’re definitely going to get there.”

Upgraded headquarters

Behind the scenes, there is a huge amount happening. The most obvious is the upgraded training headquarters in Bagshot, Surrey, where a new performance centre and a new £1million-plus pitch have been installed. Even some of the Rugby Football Union’s most senior mandarins are not yet allowed into the new building, the idea being for the players to take ownership of it. Squad members have even committed to keeping it tidy; Dave Attwood says he and Davey Wilson have been through 10 new broom handles.

The next few weeks will see more squad rotation than usual. George Ford will need to start at some stage. Sam Burgess may well be invited into camp sooner rather than later. The next four weekends will be huge for key units – the backrow, the midfield, the wings – and several individuals, not least Kyle Eastmond, who will be giving away nine inches and five stone to his opponent Sonny Bill Williams.

As far as Farrell is concerned such stats count for little. “It’s irrelevant, size. Mike Tyson wasn’t that big but he knocked a few people out. ”

He might have been describing England as a whole: spirited underdogs with a puncher’s chance. New Zealand may have lost only two of their past 46 Tests but England’s all-important month could yet kick off spectacularly. Guardian Service