New Zealand have been in two finals, a win and a loss, and three losing semifinals. England have made three finals, for a win and two losses, backed by one losing semifinal appearance.
New Zealand don't have the historical enmity the likes of which the French, Welsh, Scots and Irish can muster against England.
So the English treasure their successes, armed, if they wish to be, with an us-against-the-rest perspective.
This time, of their leading players, injury has deprived them only of halfback Danny Care with a toe injury, and captain Lewis Moody arrives with a question mark over his recovering knee. They possess backs with pace and big men up front who can grunt with the best. Their problem is likely to be how to find some invention and spark to their play.
Against Wales in Cardiff last month, they were dreadfully pedestrian. However, they have uncovered a genuine attacking threat in Manu Tuilagi. He will add thrust in the midfield and leave a few bruises.
"It's great playing next to him," veteran midfield back Mike Tindall, said. "If you're in any doubt, you just give him the ball. He's a physical specimen who can create anything from nothing."
Jonny Wilkinson will kick his goals, but at age 32, there some reservations around other aspects of his play.
England coach Martin Johnson has some interesting choices ahead. He's opted for 17 forwards, and his 13 backs include three halfbacks.
At their best, England's tends to be a gritty, no-frills game, so best not to expect too many dramatics, unless Tuilagi and the lively wing, Chris Ashton, get plenty of work.
Johnson's brow will furrow as he considers Ben Foden or Delon Armitage at fullback, one at his best a lively, counter-attacking runner, the other armed with a dose of X-factor.
Wilkinson or Toby Flood at No 10: how to perm his best loose forward trio and get the best of his four locks, Simon Shaw, Louis Deacon, Courtney Lawes and Tom Palmer.
Dylan Hartley or beefy veteran Steve Thompson at hooker. The scrum should be okay. So plenty to ponder.
When Johnson became the only Englishman to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, his match winner was Wilkinson, at Sydney in 2003.
Wilkinson's injury list would have done in a lesser-willed sportsman.
He's also had to bide his time as Flood became the preferred option of late.
But Flood has not shown himself capable of ticking all Johnson's boxes.
"However many test matches he has played or whatever he has done, he is still out there working harder than anyone to be better - whether it is fitness, kicking, tackling, defending, attacking," Johnson said of Wilkinson.
"That is why he is such a great example to everybody."
England are expected to top their pool.
The Scots and Argentines will have a different idea on that.
Victory would mean a quarter-final against - almost certainly - France, unless Les Bleus overcome the All Blacks in their pool A clash.
Now wouldn't that set a lion among the zebras for best-laid plans further down the line.
Peter Bills on England:
England could win the World Cup. But in 2015 when they host it, not this year...
They'll go into this tournament as Six Nations champions but Ireland revealed how hollow that tag will be. There are many reasons for English optimism in four years' time; mainly the fact that by then, so many of their young players should have matured.
Quality players abound in England but many of them lack experience. Four hard years of top-class rugby could transform them.
The internationals of last autumn revealed the potential and the failings of England. A fast, fluid attacking game plan was too much for Australia, yet the South Africans shut them down totally through a superior exhibition of forward might. England had no answer to that.
That they are a work in progress, far from the finished product, was proven by the narrow eight and six point victories over France and Scotland, respectively. Some old war horses, the likes of Lewis Moody and Mike Tindall, will need replacing after the Cup and better players are much needed at centre and No 8.
The supreme irony is, England may need to beat only France and Australia to reach a third successive World Cup final.
Fixtures:
Saturday September 10 v Argentina, Otago Stadium (Dunedin)
Sunday September 18 v Georgia, Otago Stadium (Dunedin)
Saturday September 24 v Romania, Otago Stadium (Dunedin)
Sunday October 2 v Scotland Eden Park (Auckland)
