It's hard to believe that this time two years ago, as they flew across to England on a Grand Slam mission, Ireland were 12-point favourites to win in Twickenham.
Twelve points.
Even taking into account the fact that Andy Farrell's reigning champions had come into the fixture on a four-game winning run over their hosts, had trounced France in Marseille three weeks earlier, and were on an 11-match hot streak in the Six Nations, it's a gobsmacking number.
We do tend to get ahead of ourselves.
Prior to that round-four clash in 2024, England, under head coach Steve Borthwick, were a train spluttering out of the station, scraping past Italy and Wales and losing to Scotland, while Ireland were full steam ahead after beating Les Bleus, Italy and Wales, seemingly on their way to a ground-breaking Grand Slam double.
What happened next? Well, four Jack Crowley penalties gave Ireland a 12-8 half-time lead and two James Lowe tries had the visitors ahead going down the stretch.
However, England, who had notched tries from Ollie Lawrence, George Furbank and Ben Earl, struck a late dropgoal from Marcus Smith (below) to win 23-22.
The spread for today's clash in London is 10 points in England's favour, a 22-point swing with the bookmakers but, sure, what do they know?
The Irish squad said they comfortable going over as favourites last time out as they had the recent evidence to back up the assertion but when they ran out on the hallowed turf the tag appeared to weigh heavily on their shoulders.
Being cocksure in Twickenham might just be an English thing.
"I don't want that to be the case at all but I suppose human nature tells you that that works for some people," said Farrell when asked if being the underdog just suits them, and the Irish in general, better.
"But we want to be as good as we possibly can and we want to be able to deal with being favourites or not really.
"I suppose what I'm saying is that should be irrelevant if we're in the right frame of mind."
Are they in the right frame of mind? Can they be after recent traumas and a lengthy injury list?
They'll have to be if they want to earn a sixth Six Nations win at this venue.
The hosts have made three changes to side that fell to a 31-20 defeat last weekend to Scotland in which they played for 30 minutes with 14 players - a fact Farrell said had a huge bearing on the outcome.
He's not easily fooled and knows that had Henry Arundell kept his cool, there's a good chance the Grand Slam might still be on.
The addition of Lawrence to the centre and the switch of Tommy Freeman - the hat-trick man from Northampton's win over Leinster last May - gives them more of a cut-through threat in the backline, while Tom Curry and Henry Pollock come into the back row.
Pollock, earning a first start on his eighth cap, is a real livewire presence and is perfectly suited to the unique pageantry that the Rugby Football Union brings to the pre-match Twickenham proceedings.
An early knock on from the 21-year-old would be mighty welcome.
Caelan Doris goes up directly against the young Saint and he has Josh van der Flier and Tadhg Beirne for company. That's an intriguing battle with big performances needed from the flankers.
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Farrell will hope that the James Lowe effect - who played superbly against Italy after getting dropped for France - applies to those two.
England, on a nine-game winning run at home, will target the Irish scrum, which came under severe pressure last weekend.
They have yet to lose a scrum on their own feed in the this year (8/8), while they have won four of 14 opposition scrums (29%).
It's something of a risk that, missing three loosehead props, Edwin Edogbo wasn't retained for his sheer pushing power alone after shoring up the setpiece in his late cameo against Italy.
Tom O'Toole has covered well at loosehead but he's a tighthead by trade.
There's no lock on the bench with Beirne the switch if James Ryan and Joe McCarthy can't go 80. Back rows Nick Timoney and Jack Conan are the replacements.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Crowley, as two of five changes, form a new half-back partnership after their introduction paved the way for victory last weekend.
There's been so much attention on the Munster out-half - who takes over from Sam Prendergast for a first start since Japan in November - and England will come for him early and often.
Ciarán Frawley is the replacement 10 but doesn't have a start at out-half to his name this season for Leinster, while winger Tommy O'Brien is the other backline option in a 5:3 split.
Between captain Maro Itoje winning his 100th cap, Pollock on his first start and a wounded England side, the atmosphere is going to be electric come 2.10pm.
As much as a cliché as it is, a fast start has never been more important for Ireland than it is today.
England love the playground bully role and getting a fair wind behind the chariot would spell doom for an Ireland team low on confidence after dispiriting losses to New Zealand, South Africa and France in the last four months.
That said, England have an analogue game plan. They are kick heavy with George Ford (1,245 kicking metres from two games) seeing off erstwhile shiny pennies Fin and Marcus Smith to implement Borthwick's vision.
It's a '3-6-9' model that squeezes the life out of opponents but, as was demonstrated in Murrayfield, is not suited to chasing a game and that's what Ireland must endeavour to make them do.
It's up to the pack to control their aggression while winning their individual battles, the half-backs to keep the ball moving and their kicks on the money for Lowe, who beat nine defenders and made four linebreaks last week, and Rob Baloucoune to contest under what's set to be a grey sky with a gentle breeze and a chance of rain.
The visitors are surely due the bounce of a ball or two after France mopped up in that area.
Stuart McCloskey is Ireland's player of the tournament so far and, 10 years on from his international debut at the same arena, needs another big one to get his side on the front foot and create space for his wingers.
Mission: Impossible? No, it's never impossible but it's very, very difficult and the Twickenham factor is hard to discount.
There's a performance somewhere in an Irish team that's trying to find its feet but it may not come today.
Verdict: England by 8
England: Freddie Steward; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Henry Arundell; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Heyes; Maro Itoje (capt), Ollie Chessum; Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Henry Pollock.
Replacements: Jamie George, Bevan Rodd, Trevor Davison, Alex Coles, Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, Jack van Poortvliet, Marcus Smith.
Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Tom O'Toole, Finlay Bealham, Nick Timoney, Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, Tommy O'Brien.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR).
Watch England v Ireland in the Six Nations from 1pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch France v Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday from 2.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
