Here we go then.

Sam Whitelock safely gathers Owen Farrell's drop-out on the New Zealand 22m. Aaron Smith returns fire into touch on halfway.

Matt Dawson
England World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

It makes a difference when you play against a team regularly - you understand the nuances of the individuals but also of the team, the structures they like to play.

There is a lot of unknown in this game.

This could easily have been the final - one of the great finals of all time.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at International Stadium Yokohama

As per usual, Japanese fans got their lyric sheets out for the anthems. Amazing.

Image source, BBC Sport

Andrew Mehrtens
Former New Zealand fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

New Zealand would have been a little bit surprised but I like it! The All Blacks don't want people to be proscribed to, and just sit there and take it. I thought that was fantastic from England!

Was there a little extra fizz, slap and spite to that New Zealand haka?

Kieran Read gives a long meaningful look at the England ranks as it comes to a close.

This is going to be a tasy opening five minutes. Keep it locked.

Drama.

England have lined up in a V to face the haka.

Billy Vunipola and replacement Joe Marler, at either end, stray over halfway and have to be advised to retreat by the referee.

Owen Farrell is grinning at the All Blacks as TJ Perenara begins the cultural challenge...

Good grief.

Image source, Reuters

"It is life! It is life! It is death! It is death!"

It is certainly one of the most thrilling pieces of pomp and ceremony in sport.

New Zealand's haka - a Maori cultural challenge that includes those lines and is laid down before every match the All Blacks play - tingles spines of television viewers worldwide.

But what is it like to be the focus of a haka, staring back at one of the most dominant teams in world sport in full cry?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

"The haka makes me want to play," said former England back row James Haskell.

"I used to listen to recordings of it before Premiership games because it used to motivate me so much.

"Any decent professional finds it massively motivating. It doesn't strike any fear in anybody's mind.

"There is a huge psychological battle around New Zealand - people spend too much time trying to play like them, talking about them, too much time focusing on them."

England are massive on decibels, low on melody as they belt out God Save the Queen.

New Zealand more tuneful with God Defend New Zealand. Anton Lienert-Brown with a look that could laser through concrete as he sings the national ditty.

Now, we all know what is next...

• New Zealand have won 15 of their last 16 matches against England, the exception in that run being a 21-38 defeat at Twickenham in 2012.
• This is the fourth World Cup clash between England and New Zealand, the All Blacks have won each of the previous three (1991, 1995, 1999) including the 1995 semi-final when Jonah Lomu scored four tries.
• New Zealand have won their last 18 World Cup matches, the longest run in the tournament's history. They last lost a game in the 2007 quarter-finals against France. Lock Sam Whitelock has played in all 18 of those games.

This is how the two starting XVs tally up

Image source, BBC Sport

Nigel Owens has knocked on the dressing room doors.

Billy Vunipola, who will lead his team out on the occasion of his 50th cap, is first out of the England lair. Slaps on the back from the a gauntlet of replacements.

Kieran Read, poker face firmly in place, marches out of the All Black dressing room.

The drumroll is building out on the Yokohama International Stadium floor.

And here come the teams to roar from the stands.

Nervous? Of course you are.

Matt Dawson
England World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

I’ve got a dodgy ticker! You don’t want to get too excited until kick off, it’s easy to lose a lot of energy, both mental and physical. It’s about calming things down, and I would expect Eddie Jones to be doing that right now.

Image source, BBC Sport

Matthew Jones: Washing it down with a bowl of Golden Nuggets and cup of tea. Never seen such hype for a warm up to the main event. Well played world rugby

Alan Guest: Once more unto the breech my friends! Cry God for Owen, England and Saint George!!!

There is a photo doing the rounds. And it looks legit.

But the All Blacks have had the skills to pay the tattooist's bills in the past.

Four years ago, Wellington native Wade Sloane added 2015 to the list of All Blacks' global triumphs on his bicep in the days before the final agaisnt Australia., external

And he had got the original ' All Blacks; World champions 1987,2011' work down on the days before New Zealand broke their drought eight years ago.

Might as well beat the rush right?

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

If it's not England's time now, when is it? When will they have the Vunipolas, Tuilagi, Farrell again? If they want to be talked about in the same breath as the 2003 players, this is the evening to prove it.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at International Stadium Yokohama

Image source, Getty Images

New Zealand went back into the tunnel a few minutes ago, but England stayed out on the pitch warming up.

They ran through a few more drills, got into a huddle, then headed back in to a big cheer.

We've been asking you to pick your combined England-New Zealand XV this week, and Eddie Jones' side have come out on top in this one...

There are eight England players to seven All Blacks, although New Zealand full-back Beauden Barrett was by far the most popular pick.

From more than 80,000 votes, here is the team you selected...

Image source, BBC Sport

You can still have a go at selecting your combined XV here.

BBC Radio 5 Live

BBC Radio 5 Live's team have been gargling with honey, doing Mariah Carey-style vocal exercises and cramming stats like the night before a Maths GCSE.

Tune in to Chris Jones, who was won zero World Cups, and Paul Grayson and Matt Dawson, who were part of England's 2003 squad that did lift the little gold fella, via the button at the top of this page or the BBC Sport and BBC Sounds app.

Image source, Getty

England, as several All Blacks fans have pointed out in the past, did not have to play New Zealand on their way to winning their only Rugby World Cup in 2003.

They did play them five months previously however.

Clive Woodward's side were ranked number one in the world when they went Down Under in June 2003 and duly proved their chops with a 15-13 victory despite the tourists going down to 13 men via yellow cards for Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio.

It was their first victory on New Zealand soil in 30 years. They have not repeated it in seven attempts since.

Image source, Getty Images

New Zealand sports journalist Nigel Yalden on BBC Radio 5 Live: "New Zealand do the simple things to a ridiculously high standard. When you look at some of their tries, you sit there and you're like 'wow' but when you break it down it's simple lines, good skills, done at an exceptional level.

"They take the simple and make it look breathtaking."