Britain's favourite Geordies are in the house. We're talking Ant and Dec, of course, and next to them is former Going Live presenter Andi Peters. The Rugby World Cup is better than the Oscars for celebrity watching. 

Image source, PA

It's starting to rain in west London, which might reduce the chances of free-flowing rugby early on. England are expected to beat Fiji tonight whatever the weather as Stuart Lancaster's men have been in fine form on home turf over the last couple of years. 

Image source, BBC Sport

Name: Niki Goneva

Age: 31

Caps: 35

Tries: 14

Who else could pose England particular problems this evening? Goneva scored 12 tries in 18 Premiership matches during the 2013-14 season and although last season was less spectacular, he is a player England must keep an eye on. 

Image source, BBC Sport

Not many of the great and the good have turned down an opportunity to be at HQ tonight. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge? Tick.  Prime Minister David Cameron? Tick. Mayor of London Boris Johnson? Tick.  

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Just a quick reminder that there's live text and radio coverage available on this page with the BBC Radio 5 live crew adding the audio to these words. You can also get the line-ups, latest scores and results straight to your app, and there's more information on that here. 

Name: Nemani Nadolo

Age: 27

Caps: 20

Tries: 15

Since arriving at their base in Weybridge, Surrey, the Fijians have rigged up a PA system to replicate the crowd noise they expect to encounter at Twickenham. Judging by the atmosphere at HQ at the moment, it better be loud.

Fiji's one to watch is undoubtedly winger Nemani Nadolo. Here's what All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter had to say about his 6ft 5in, 20-stone Crusaders team-mate: "Nadolo is bit of a freak. He's a huge man, but is also very skillful. He's a quality player and one to watch." Good luck Jonny May...

Image source, BBC Sport

Let's talk some rugby. Four years ago, England lost 19-12 to France in the quarter-finals, while Fiji failed to make it past the pool phase as a win over Namibia was followed by losses to South Africa, Samoa and Wales.

If the stats are anything to go by, the Fiji players love to take on and beat an opponent, but don't get too far. They will also need to improve their percentage of tackles won if they are to have any chance today.

Image source, .

Image source, .

Fiji's reputation is for free-flowing rugby from all over the pitch, but their head coach John McKee is a set-piece specialist who has made them a more pragmatic force of late. 

Fiji recently won the Pacific Nations Cup and England lock Geoff Parling has described Glasgow Warriors lock Leone Nakarawa , externalas "one hell of a player". One thing's for sure, the visitors won't care one jot about providing a spectacle this evening, for them it's all about making it as difficult as possible for the hosts.

Clearly not everyone is enjoying the show - including former England hooker Brian Moore.

No doubt the groundsman was over the moon when they mentioned they'd be sticking a giant ball in the middle of the pitch with a load of burly men climbing all over it, but that's big events for you. We are about 40 minutes away from kick-off...  

Image source, Reuters

This may be treasonous Wayne...

Image source, Reuters

Time for the formalities. Here's Prince Harry, honorary president of England rugby, looking a bit Shoreditch with that scruffy beard of his but delivering a heart-felt speech. He reminisces about Mandela and Pienaar in 1995 and 'that' drop-kick in 2003, about the team-work required in rugby and the values it promotes. He looked quite emotional at the end of that. And apparently, the tournament has now officially begun. 

We've now got some chaps trying to move this massive ball. One by one they remove the panels to reveal... look who it is, the William Webb Ellis Trophy, stuck on top of a pole. A young boy climbs to the top, sticks it in his mitts and raises it aloft. More World in Union, we'll have some rugby in a minute.