The All Blacks may be coming off a huge battle against England, but the real war played out on Twitter a few minutes before kickoff.

In a classic encounter at Twitternham, three British media giants got into a debate about the All Blacks.

It all started when BBC sports editor Dan Roan tweeted about being excited to watch the All Blacks, who he called "the greatest team in sport".

"Little in sport compares to watching the All Blacks," Roan wrote on Twitter. "Been lucky enough to see them play at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand - and in 2015 - but never against England. The scene here at Twickenham less than an hour before this rarest of fixtures against the greatest team in sport."

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Roan's take, increasingly less controversial as the All Blacks assert their dominance over the rest of the world, was liked by a few hundred of his followers.

But it also caused plenty of outrage, as is the norm on the social media site - including from England football great Gary Lineker.

And of course, it wouldn't be a Twitter shouting match without media provocateur Piers Morgan.

Here's how the thrilling beef played out:

In the real rugby clash at Twickenham, the All Blacks hung on to a controversial 16-15 victory over England.