"We're getting back to our World Cup level, or even above our World Cup level, whereas at the start of the Six Nations we were 20 per cent below that," said Eddie Jones on Friday.
If that's true then it's bad news for Ireland as they attempt to win a Triple Crown in Twickenham (3pm).
If it's not, and if it's just another one of Jones' throwaway lines, then Andy Farrell's men have a shot.
The England we saw in Japan, most especially in their takedown of New Zealand in the semi-final, looked unbeatable. Ireland, at the the 2019 World Cup, were anything but.
The return of Manu Tuilagi means that 12 of the English XV that started against the All Blacks, and South Africa in the final are in situ.
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But even though it's only been three and half months, a lot of water has passed under the bridge.
And in terms of how England twice demolished Ireland last year, the foundations for those smashings, in the menacing shapes of the brothers Vunipola, are not in place.
Number 8 Billy is out injured with a broken arm, while prop Mako is unavailable for family reasons.
However, somewhat offsetting the loss of the two Saracens is the return of Tuilagi in the centre, the Leicester Tiger boasts a 'played five, won five' record against Ireland.
"He's looking fit, he's looking fresh and he's got a smile on his face," said out-half George Ford.
And somewhere in the back of Ireland's collective mind, he was the man who landed the first punch on the 2018 Grand Slam champions, in the corresponding fixture last year, that sent the team down a dark path from which they are only now beginning to show signs of recovery.
Ireland may have fallen to a record 57-15 defeat in the World Cup warm-up game last August but the 32-20 loss at the Aviva was where the fatal blow was struck.
Preventing Tuilagi getting quick ball will be crucial for the visitors' chances.
"They started really well, fast and explosive," said Farrell on the subject during the week.
"[They] used an attacking kicking game to great effect, pinned us into the corners and tried to hit us on the counter. I suppose there will be a bit of that on [Sunday] as well."
But Ireland, who, like England, scraped past Scotland, and impressed in a bonus-point win over Wales, will know that looking back is of limited value only.
Here they are now, on the brink of silverware (in name and 2006-inaugurated trophy if nothing else) after two games under a new boss. It's an upward trajectory.
England, who return home after seven World Cup and two Six Nations games on the road, maybe be seven-point favourites but are in a state of flux.
"They are just a good team playing poorly," said former Ireland centre Lynne Cantwell, neatly summing up their currently plight on the RTE Rugby podcast this week.
Prior to the bruising defeat to France in the opening round, Jones talked up his side, promising to unleash a brutality on the callow Bleus.
What unfolded in Paris demonstrated that those verbals were misplaced and that, as cliched as it sound, the team was suffering from a World Cup hangover.
The game against Scotland will have served as a spirit-lifter, the benefit of digging out a result in such circumstances is not to be sniffed at.
Farrell had decided to stick with the team that beat Wales 24-14 two weeks ago but had to replace Iain Henderson, who withdrew after the birth of his son, with Devin Toner, the man controversially axed by Joe Schmidt ahead of the ill-fated trip to Japan.
Jones has made four changes and two positional switches to the side that dug out a 13-7 victory over Scotland, a dour game played during the worst that Storm Ciara could throw up.
Elliot Daly starts at full-back instead of George Furbank, meaning erstwhile centre Jonathan Joseph getting his first ever Test start on the wing.
Ben Youngs returns in place of Willi Heinz at scrum-half, while Courtney Lawes comes in for Lewis Ludlam at blindside flanker.
Prop Joe Marler takes the place of Mako Vunipola.
Once again, Jones opts for a 6/2 forwards/backs split on the bench, trusting Heinz and fit-again Henry Slade to cover the back line.
Within that back line, captain Owen Farrell, son of Andy, can seamlessly shift in one to out-half if required. The father-son narrative is unique but the two men have dead-batted the inevitable questions that came up this week.
But the split on the reserves bench means Jones reckons getting six powerful finishers on the park for the last 20 to 30 minutes could be the winning and losing of this game.
Home advantage, too, is worth an awful lot, and the record here shows that Ireland have won just once here since 2010, the high-calibre Grand Slam victory in 2018.
England have only lost seven games here in 19 and a half years of Six Nations history, albeit four of those defeats have come against Sunday's opponents.
Along with the value of a Twickenham crowd behind them this England team knows that defeat means the end of their championship hopes.
They have 80 minutes to shake off the hangover or they will have to face into two dead rubbers against Wales and Italy with little more than damaged pride to play for.
On the other hand, victory puts them right back in the mix for the title, with Ireland and France.
It's the kind of 'now or never' choice that often draws the best out of a team, who have not performed to their potential in the opening two rounds.
"We're uncomfortably excited about the game," said Jones.
"If you use the rollercoaster analogy, you are sitting at the top of a hill, you're excited but you are also anxious, a bit uncomfortable."
Conditions may also play a big part and the forecast is for the rain to have eased off by kick-off, with temperatures at 11C. Currently the met office says the wind gust at 3pm with be at 28mph.
With Joseph untested out wide and Daly not considered the most reliable under a high ball, they can expect some action early – remember Garry Ringrose getting Ireland's opening try two year's ago.
Robbie Henshaw was excellent at outside centre before being withdrawn early in the second half against Wales but is unlikely to get as much space against Tuilagi as he did when facing the debutant Nick Tompkins.
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England's forwards weigh in at 143st vs 141st 6lbs for Ireland and parity must be reached in those exchanges before Ireland can entertain thoughts of victory.
Farrell denied that this game was a free shot during the week and nobody will come out and say it but, in terms of championship aspirations, getting out of South-West London with a point or two would be a decent return against the World Cup finalists.
You have to go back to 1968 for the last draw between these sides. Time for another?
Ireland: Jordan Larmour; Andrew Conway, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Johnny Sexton (capt), Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Caelan Doris, John Cooney, Ross Byrne, Keith Earls.
England: E Daly (Saracens); J May (Leicester), M Tuilagi (Leicester), O Farrell (Saracens, capt), J Joseph (Bath); G Ford (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), J George (Saracens), K Sinckler (Harlequins), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), C Lawes (Northampton), S Underhill (Bath), T Curry (Sale).
Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), E Genge (Leicester), W Stuart (Bath), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Ewels (Bath), B Earl (Saracens), W Heinz (Gloucester), H Slade (Exeter).
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
Follow England v Ireland (kick-off 3pm) on Sunday via our live blog on RTE.ie/Sport and the News Now app or listen live on RTÉ 2fm. Live TV and Radio coverage of England Women v Ireland Women on RTÉ2 and RTÉ 2fm from 12.30pm, Sunday. Highlights on Against the Head, Monday at 8pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
