England's coach and players are trying to keep a lid on their emotions while planning to embrace the occasion as they prepare for Saturday's World Cup final against Canada in front of by far the biggest crowd ever to watch a women's rugby match.
Coach John Mitchell named an unchanged 23 on Thursday for the match at a sold-out 82,000 Twickenham - around 24,000 more than the previous record for a women's XVs game.
Mitchell, the vastly experienced New Zealander, has been involved in four men's World Cups in various roles, but this is the first time he has reached a final as England seek a third title following victories in 1994 and 2014.
"First of all, you have to manage your own emotions, have fun with it but try not to make it any bigger than it is," Mitchell told a news conference after naming the same team and bench that beat France in last week's semi-final.
"We're clearly excited by the opportunity but, more importantly, we've got into our work over the last three days and we've stayed very, very focused on the plan that we want to execute on the weekend."
Mitchell, like almost everyone in the sport, probably expected to be facing New Zealand in a repeat of the last final, but world number two Canada forced a rethink after their convincing victory over the six-times champions last Friday.
"I was driving in last Tuesday and just thought to myself, 'This is where it really matters. This is where I've got to find a solution and sell a solution to the girls," Mitchell said.
"How do we play against Canada and what will work and basically where we can build pressure on them?
"I think what we've done remarkably well this tournament is we've just treated each team for what they offer and what they present. Canada definitely have strengths and they definitely present you opportunities. It's up to us to exploit them."
Captain Aldcroft excited to play in front of 82,000
It might be Mitchell's first World Cup final but many of his players suffered the pain of defeat in the last one, when England overcame an early red card and looked set for victory until New Zealand snatched a vital lineout in the final minute.
Current captain Zoe Aldcroft was one of them, though she lasted only 27 minutes after suffering a head injury and is desperate to make amends in front of the home fans who have turned out in great numbers throughout the tournament.
"I think we're just so excited to experience it," she said of the prospect of playing in front of 82,000 fans. "It's something we've never experienced but we've wanted for so long.
"I think just the momentum and the impact we've had on fans throughout the tour and from the start of Sunderland (venue for England's first match) to coming now into Twickenham.
"It's just going to be so exciting to see where we have pushed women's rugby to and (we're) just excited for this new era of women's rugby on Saturday."
England are strong favourites on a record run of 32 wins since losing the last World Cup final in 2022 - their only loss in their last 63 matches stretching back to 2019.
Canada, who are in their second final after losing to England in 2014, will name their team later on Thursday.
England team:
15–Ellie Kildunne, 14–Abby Dow, 13–Megan Jones, 12–Tatyana Heard, 11–Jess Breach, 10–Zoe Harrison, 9–Natasha Hunt, 8–Alex Matthews, 7–Sadia Kabeya, 6–Zoe Aldcroft, 5–Abbie Ward, 4–Morwenna Talling, 3–Maud Muir, 2–Amy Cokayne, 1–Hannah Botterman
Replacements: 16–Lark Atkin-Davies, 17–Kelsey Clifford, 18–Sarah Bern, 19–Rosie Galligan, 20–Maddie Feaunati, 21–Lucy Packer, 22–Holly Aitchison, 23–Helena Rowland