It is tempting to describe this afternoon as the defining moment of Austin Healey's career.
Marking Jonah Lomu is the ultimate way of separating those who merely talk a good game from those who reserve their most vivid contributions for the field of play and, to some New Zealanders, Healey is still someone who falls too often into the former category.
Even the wing himself concedes there are a good number of people closer to home who would enjoy the sight of him flat on his backside with Lomu's studmarks etched on his jersey. It is an occupational hazard if you are the sort of player who, when asked on the eve of your Test debut to identify your strength, looks your questioners in the eye and replies simply: "My ability." Healey still looks you in the eye but the gaze is more measured these days. He knows a modest tally of three tries in 22 England appearances, albeit not all as a specialist winger, is nothing to shout about compared to Christian Cullen's 30 from 36 Tests. The last time he came up against Jeff Wilson, on England's ill-fated "tour from hell" last year, he ended up with an injured shoulder and severely bruised pride. Yet back he has bounced on England's right wing, fitter than ever, talking some sense and suddenly crucial to Clive Woodward's plans having created four tries against Italy last weekend. In many ways, he typifies the transformation in the whole team.
A major factor in the remodelled Austin, if you discount his marriage last year and the long hours in the gym, appears to have been a visit to his mum who keeps a scrapbook of her boy's sporting achievements. Since then his verbal excesses have been deliberately curbed. "One of the things that made me realise was re-reading a few of the things I said when I got my first cap. I thought to myself: `Oh my God'. If I said them now, I think the motivation for other teams and the banter I would receive would increase dramatically.
"I have changed to a certain extent. I'm a little older and a little more streetwise. I've tried to let my talking happen on the pitch. I've no reason to tell anyone anymore what's going on." Healey's parents, of course, already have a lot to answer for. His mother apparently wanted to call him Clint, but his grandfather's love of cars swung the debate in the end.
The young Austin, who started in the mini-rugby section at Birkenhead Park, is also the only England rugby international to have been a ballboy at Goodison Park and represented Cheshire schools at soccer. Now almost 26, some might say he has already been saddled with tougher things in life than tackling Lomu.
"You'd be a bit naive if Jonah didn't play on your mind," he concedes. "I'm notoriously small for rugby. I'm only 14 stone and Jonah's 18 stone or something. But, to be honest, I'm in a no-lose situation. The majority of the world expects him to run over the top of my head so, if he does, no-one will be disappointed. The advantage we have now is we know how good Jonah and Tana Umaga are." England's defensive organisation under Phil Larder's guidance being what it is, there will be plenty of team-mates at Healey's elbow when the first rumbling charge is mounted. Unlike in the summer of 1998, the home camp are now convinced that, physically at least, they can compete with the Southern Hemisphere's best.
"This is the first time since the New Zealand tour here two years ago that we've both met on the same playing field with our first-choice teams. We're confident in the way we've been playing and we believe we've as good a chance as we've had for several years. That is probably half the battle when you face the All Blacks." And whatever he lacks in inches, self-belief has never been Healey's problem. On the Lions tour to South Africa in 1997, his team-mates resorted to tying him up with black tape and forcing him to stand in a corner in Durban with an apple stuffed in his mouth. He can even remember being called a big-head by his coach at under-nine level.
His views on some Twickenham regulars - "there are still too many people wearing green jackets and flat caps" - are distinctly barbed and his disagreements with Bob Dwyer when the ex-Wallaby coach was at Leicester were at least one of the reasons behind Dwyer's departure from Welford Road.
The Australian, though, is among those who know from experience that Healey's occasionally irritating behaviour should not be allowed to detract from his talent. "He may not look it, but he's well-built, very strong and a great tackler," said Dwyer this week. "I think England have made the right choice." When it comes to overtaking manoeuvres, even the juggernaut called Jonah may find it a trifle harder this time.
