When people talk about the changing shape of rugby union they are not wrong. Statistics compiled by the Guardian have found England and New Zealand players are, on average, between 1st 10lb and 2st (11-13kg) heavier per man compared with their counterparts in their first World Cup meeting in 1991.

While it is well known the switch to professionalism in 1995 prompted advances in fitness and conditioning, the increased weight is increasingly striking. England’s 1991 team, considered big by the standards of the day, weighed 14st 8lb (94.3kg) on average, compared with 16st 6lb (105.8kg) in 2019.

The All Blacks’ starting XV has bulked up from 14st 3lb (91.6kg) per man to 16st 4lb (104.6kg) at this tournament. Even the biggest England players of 1991 such as the 17st 5lb (112kg) Wade Dooley, known as the Blackpool Tower, would now be several kilos lighter than all four of England’s specialist locks at this tournament while loosehead prop Jason Leonard, at 105kg, would be 18kg lighter than his modern-day counterpart Mako Vunipola.

It is much the same story in the back division. In 1991 only one of England’s backs – wing Chris Oti – weighed more than 88kg. That is less than every single current England starting back, including scrum-half Ben Youngs, with the 112kg Manu Tuilagi weighing 28kg more than England’s erstwhile inside-centre Jeremy Guscott.

The trend among leading New Zealand players is very similar, with even their electric full-back Beauden Barrett, at 92kg, some 13kg heavier than his predecessor Terry Wright. Only at scrum-half where the previous incumbent Graeme Bachop tipped the scales at 82kg, exactly the same as Aaron Smith, are the two eras remotely comparable.

When the big changes in muscle density and body fat measurements among current professional players are also taken into account, not to mention the law changes that have led to a sharply increased number of collisions and breakdowns, the generational difference is even more marked.

The All Blacks’ hooker Sean Fitzpatrick, who was considered a significant physical presence in his day, weighed 93kg. These days his successors, Dane Coles and Codie Taylor, both weigh 110kg while England’s Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie weigh 109kg.

England, whose starting quarter-final XV against Australia weighed a combined 1,587kg, compared with the All Blacks’ total versus Ireland of 1,569kg, will be hoping this weekend produces a rather more satisfying outcome than in 1991. On that occasion the All Blacks won the opening pool game at Twickenham between the two nations 18-12, thanks to a try from flanker Michael Jones and 14 points from the boot of Grant Fox. England’s points came from three penalties by Jonathan Webb and a Rob Andrew drop goal.