The test at Twickenham tomorrow morning has been four years in the making. So what is going to decide it? We look at some of the variables.

The weather:

The All Blacks have apparently been given free licence to throw the ball around and spin it wide. The only problem with that is the weather is not supposed to be great — showers are forecast. The rain just sits on that thick Twickenham grass and makes it very difficult to try to get much going. The All Blacks will have to be accurate and ruthless with the ball they get if it rains.

The referee:

Frenchman Jerome Garces will be the man in the middle for the match and his performance will have to be spoton. He is a referee playing under a set of laws which are so open to interpretation he can never please everyone. But as long as he gets the teams onside, does not drop a clanger and not turn it into a whistlefeast then he should not be a major factor in the game. Well, hopefully!

The composure:

Once when playing a game in Timaru a coach went on about the top four inches. But we all know it is the top two inches — that is, having the brain and mental ability when it is needed. That is what separates the best from the very best. To make the right decision when the pressure is on. To see the overlap through a crowd of players and put the ball in the best position. It’s called class.

The bench:

These days it is not just a 15man game. The bench plays an important part. Which team makes the most impact from those coming off the pine? The All Blacks have some Xfactor there in the shape of Dane Coles, Richie Mo’unga and TJ Perenara. England, though, has the likes of Danny Care and Courtney Lawes so they have some beef coming off the sidelines.

The coaches:

The coaches up in the stands can not do much during the 80 minutes. All their hard work happened in the days beforehand, getting to take the team right to the edge and ready for such a big game. Neither man will leave a stone unturned in the preparation but can do little when the teams cross that white line just before kickoff.