England face Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday in the pivotal encounter of Group A in the Autumn Nations Cup.
Here, the PA news agency examines five talking points heading into the fixture.
Irish softies
Recent results show that England have Ireland's number. Three conclusive wins are bookended by thumping victories home and away in the Six Nations that stand as two of the finest performances of the Eddie Jones era. Ireland can be vulnerable against the most powerful opposition, a point disparagingly made by South Africa's World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus in Japan last year when he described them as "softies". Andy Farrell's team have been stung by the comment, but it is up to their pack to prove snarling foes can be faced down.
United Nations of Ireland
Putting smiles on the faces of fans watching the Autumn Nations Cup at home amid the gloom of a second lockdown has been a mantra for England since they entered camp for the first time in mid-October, but monotone wins against Italy and Georgia will not have captured imaginations. Ireland is a fixture with the capacity to ignite the campaign but for that to happen there must be a so far unseen intent to expand horizons beyond an unrelenting kicking game and set-piece dominance.
Caps wipeout
In terms of experience, the clash is a heavyweight mismatch with England fielding a starting XV containing 725 caps and Ireland totalling only 433 in comparison. Nowhere is the gulf of international exposure more evident than at half-back where Ben Youngs and Owen Farrell have amassed 186 Test appearances and the Irish pairing of Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne a mere 11. The visitors are a team in transition and England will be scenting blood.
