Every sporting contest between Australia and England has a singular edge but, outside Rugby World Cups or a Lions tour, the anticipation for Saturday’s first Test is unprecedented. Watching the Poms get clobbered never loses its local lustre; if the Wallabies outplay an English team commanded by their compatriot Eddie Jones, there will be widespread mirth from Canberra to Cape Tribulation.

Short of Jones agreeing to be photographed outside Suncorp Stadium dressed as Douglas Jardine and clutching a pint of warm IPA, he could not have done much more to sell the fixture. The Bodyline references have been relentless, the mind games with his old mate Michael Cheika a constant backdrop. Is it really going to be 1932‑33 all over again, with Billy Vunipola and Maro Itoje taking it in turns to play Harold Larwood? Should England win the series, eight months after being ejected from their own World Cup by Cheika’s squad, they can certainly claim to have arisen from the modern‑day ashes.

In truth, though, no one knows quite what to expect. In the 107 years since England first played Test rugby against Australia they have never, until now, contested a three-Test series. As unbeaten Six Nations winners, England are upwardly mobile under Jones but winning in the southern hemisphere is a different proposition. Not counting their annus mirabilis of 2003, England have won just one other Test in Australia since Captain Cook first dropped anchor.

How instructive, then, to listen to England’s captain, Dylan Hartley, following his team’s transfer from the Gold Coast up to Queensland’s sunny state capital. The Northampton hooker does not deal in grandiose predictions but he is promising the Wallabies a rare tussle. “We believe we can win here,” he said simply. “We expect to win Saturday night. There is no point boarding the plane if you don’t. In years gone by these might have been games tagged on at the end of the year but we’ve brought our best squad and we’re hungry to win. I don’t want to keep looking back. We want to look forward, we want to improve, we want to win more games, and we want to climb the world rankings.”

Jones, of course, would have it no other way. Traditionally England and Australia have had different philosophies about playing the game but not any more. While English Test sides looking to play direct rugby is nothing new, the way in which they are launching their attacks is changing. Just as Japan upset South Africa with the precision and tempo of their approach work, so England are trying to do likewise. The buzz phrase now is “usable ball” instead of plodding from unsatisfactory set piece to set piece. “I looked at the last time we played Wales and we won all our scrums but it was all messy ball,” stressed Hartley. “We want ball where we can put our No8 away without a flanker tackling him or a 9 on top of him. That’s usable ball. We’re always looking for a positive outcome, not a pile-up. We just want to get better.”

It is more than likely England will indeed be a better side by next season and, perhaps, even more formidable the year after. Their status as reigning grand slam champions impresses few down under but their age profile is excellent and they have put together a seven-game winning streak since the fateful 33-13 World Cup pool loss to the Wallabies. Their pack is increasingly settled and in the shape of Maro Itoje, the 21-year-old Saracen, they have the game’s next potential global superstar.

When the world’s leading breakdown specialist, David Pocock, pronounces himself particularly impressed with Itoje – “He’s pretty exciting” – and Vunipola – “He’s someone we’re going to have to stop” – it certainly feels as if a competitive series should ensue. The Wallaby assistant coach, Nathan Grey, used to be a player under Jones and knows precisely what is coming: “There’s no doubt they’re going to come out firing. They’ve got a very proud history, a good mix of old and new guys and they’re going to be looking to make a statement in the way they play.”

With four new caps in their matchday squad and no Test action since the World Cup final, Australia are also keenly aware they could be at their most vulnerable in their first outing. The memory of Bernard Foley enjoying the best game of his career at Twickenham remains fresh but Kurtley Beale, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Drew Mitchell, Kane Douglas, Matt Toomua and Joe Tomane are either now injured or playing offshore. It is asking a lot of the tallest-ever Wallaby debutant, Rory Arnold – aka “Three-storey Rory” – to get the better of George Kruis and Itoje, although the talented Samu Kerevi could easily be an onrushing menace. Together with his childhood friend Tevita Kuridrani – the pair used to attend church together in Brisbane – the Wallaby centres tip the scales at a combined 208kg, with the ever-lethal Israel Folau lying in wait just behind them.

Supply that lot with a stream of quick clean ball and England will soon be in trouble, as happened at Twickenham. Pocock, Michael Hooper and Scott Fardy will collectively be looking to kill them at the breakdown as well; rusty or not, this Wallaby side instinctively know where the majority of games are won and lost. “Both teams will be focusing on the breakdown but we’re pretty confident we can deal with that,” murmured Pocock, more than a little ominously.

If there is not an early outbreak of nice-to-see-you biff among the tight forwards it will also be a surprise, with the Wallabies honour-bound to try to examine English discipline. On the flipside, Jones has given the visitors a no-nonsense playbook of their own. “The messages about how he wants the team to play are nonnegotiable,” reveals Hartley. “It’s down to myself and the senior players to direct that. He’s very clear in what he wants.”

The size of the dog also matters slightly less to Jones than its daily desire to bite the postman. “It’s easy to play under Eddie if you’ve got the right mindset,” recalls Grey, with a wry smile. “If you haven’t you’re going to be found out.”

So can England make history? There is no reason why not, particularly if they get a grip at the set pieces and Owen Farrell’s goal-kicking evokes a certain now-retired English No10. A narrow win at Suncorp could even generate a ripple or two across the Tasman, as well as disconcerting the Aussie public. Jones has been using the word “litmus” but a classic eucalyptus test also awaits.

Australia v England, Brisbane, Sat 11 June, 8pm AEST, 11am BST

Australia I Folau (Waratahs); D Haylett-Petty (Force), T Kuridrani (Brumbies), S Kerevi (Reds), R Horne (Waratahs); B Foley (Waratahs), N Phipps (Waratahs); S Sio (Brumbies), S Moore (Brumbies, capt), G Holmes (Reds), R Simmons (Reds), R Arnold (Brumbies), S Fardy (Brumbies), M Hooper (Waratahs), D Pocock (Brumbies). Replacements T Polota-Nau (Waratahs), J Slipper (Reds), S Kepu (Waratahs), J Horwill (Harlequins), D Mumm (Waratahs), S McMahon (Rebels), N Frisby (Reds), C Leali’ifano (Brumbies).

England M Brown (Harlequins); A Watson (Bath), J Joseph (Bath), L Burrell (Northampton), M Yarde (Harlequins); O Farrell (Saracens), B Youngs (Leicester); M Vunipola (Saracens), D Hartley (capt), D Cole (Leicester), G Kruis (Saracens), M Itoje (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins), J Haskell (Wasps), B Vunipola (Saracens). Replacements L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), M Mullan (Wasps), P Hill (Northampton), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), D Care (Harlequins), G Ford (Bath), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs).

Referee R Poite (France).