Maro Itoje launched England’s World Cup campaign with a speech in Japanese - then spelt out in plain English the immediate threat they face.
Itoje did not beat about the bush when sizing up the challenge posed by Tonga in Sapporo on Sunday.
He said that playing alongside Billy and Mako Vunipola at Saracens had taught him all he needs to know about the destructive power of pacific island players.
“We have two boys of Tongan heritage in our team and I've seen what those two have done to people,” said the lock star.
“It can be dangerous if you allow it to be. Tonga are an incredibly physical side. From one to 31 they have big boys who are aggressive and have huge athleticism as well.”
England are massive favourites to beat a nation with a population of just 108,000 which ranks 12 places below Eddie Jones’ side.
But so too were England against another island nation Fiji in the opening game of the last World Cup - and made dreadfully hard work of beating them.
“Tonga will definitely be up for it,” added Itoje. “We have an awesome team but we definitely don't want to overlook them.”
The forward’s warning was echoed by defence coach John Mitchell, who said: “Tonga like a tackle, it’s something that they get excited about!
“The most important thing for us is to remain calm and controlled. If we get clouded, too emotional, we’ll generally make poorer decisions and compromise our ability to control the opposition.”
A 10-minute display of taiko martial arts drumming preceded England’s players being presented with World Cup caps.
Billy Vunipola was then invited onto the stage to make a wish on behalf of the tournament’s joint second favourites.
"I wish that whatever we do in the next few weeks will live with us for the rest of our lives,” he said.
That could go one of two ways of course, as Stuart Lancaster’s England found to their cost in 2015.
Vunipola was handed a pen and invited to draw a right eye on the face of a Daruma wishing doll.
According to Japanese custom once the wish is made and the eye painted you go away and work your socks off to deliver the dream - only then returning to paint in the other eye.
