The mood wasn't much better among the merchandise and food stalls lining the street which leads to the stadium. "England? Nah no chance," said one purveyor of roast pork.
Even in the press box, one hack was overheard telling a colleague that his boss had asked him to prepare story titled: "What went wrong for England?"
This was 5 hours before kickoff in the crucial Pool of Death match-up against Australia, a team Stuart Lancaster's side has beaten in four of the last five encounters.
The doom and gloom among English fans stems from their confidence sapping loss to Wales last week. Lose again to Australia and they're gone, booted out of their own tournament.
Sound familiar? Rewind four years to 2011 and there was a distinct air of desperation in Auckland ahead of the semifinal clash against Australia.
So an All Black fan can sympathise with how the English are feeling, but without any actual sympathy.
I vividly remember the legions of Twickenham faithful draping their arms around my shoulders to "commiserate" following their deserved 38-12 victory over the All Blacks three years ago, "Swing Low" still ringing in my ears.
And the antipathy seems to have become even uglier since then, boos ringing out when Public Enemy Number 1 - aka Richie McCaw - received the man of the match award last year.
Yet the jeers when England fell 25-28 to Wales last week to put themselves in jeopardy of an early exit places many All Black fans in a peculiar and previously unthinkable position: cheering for Australia.
For while the Kiwi rivalry with England has intensified only in recent years, the Wallabies have been the team New Zealanders loved to hate for most of the professional era.
Eales, Gregan, Larkham, Burke were loathed for their success. The current crop are simply loathed, although Michael Cheika has made a concerted effort to turn the team's toxic culture around.
His side is tipped as the 'dark horse' of the tournament with a vastly improved tight five, marauding loosies and a lethal backline.
Despite the Aussie threat - and all the English angst this week - Stuart Lancaster's team has been picked by the bookies and most British pundits, including Sir Graham Henry, to win this morning.
The most common logic? Desperation. Aside from having a better goal kicker in Owen Farrell, most of tipsters say the reason England will win is because they have to.
Sound familiar?
As I trudge to my seat in the stand, I'm struck by a thought which should relax any New Zealanders nervous about the form of the All Blacks. Whatever happens this morning, a team they love to hate will lose. I'm feeling better already.
- Jared Savage at Twickenham
