Two starstruck teenagers punted balls back to Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Catt and Toby Flood as England's kickers went through their Rugby World Cup paces back in 2007.
George Ford and Owen Farrell lived out their own fly-on-the-wall documentary as England powered to the World Cup Final in France, some 16 years ago.
Going to school in the week, then heading across The Channel at the weekend, not just to watch England — but to go behind the scenes and be right in the backroom.
Defence coach Mike Ford and centre Andy Farrell were able to have their boys in and around the 2007 set-up. And how that has paid off in England's future.
George Ford and Owen Farrell will start together at 10 and 12 for England for the 41st time in tomorrow's World Cup clash with Samoa.
Their friendship, and their links to England teams, run so much deeper than that, however.
"I feel very fortunate to have experienced that, obviously with our dads being involved, it inspired us to go on and try to do it ourselves," said Ford.
"At that age you probably never think you're going to do it, of course you don't, but you do dream as kids and it's a bit surreal being in this position now.
"That experience does have a lasting effect on you. We knew at the time, even though we were young, that not many kids our age would get that opportunity.
"We're forever grateful for that and know how lucky we are that we got that, to inspire us to go and do it ourselves."
Ford and Farrell, the juniors, played against each other in Rugby League, then lived on the same street and went to the same school when their fathers were at Saracens.
Now Ford will win his 88th cap against Samoa, and Farrell his 109th — with the captain expected to pass Wilkinson's record England points tally of 1,179 tomorrow, sitting two points shy.
Wing Jonny May put Ford and Farrell's early exposure to Test match and World Cup experience into sharp perspective.
"When I was 14, I was going to school in Swindon and skateboarding after school — and they were having access to a squad like this," said May. "What those two guys have shared with me, and the way I've learnt from them, I just feel so lucky."
Ford and Farrell have been friends more than half their lives, and at 30 and 32 respectively, are both still in the prime of their Test careers.
Head coach Steve Borthwick was part of the 2007 World Cup squad when Ford and Farrell had those crucial formative experiences. The England boss has known his playmakers half their lives too, and has absolute confidence in their individual and collective talents.
England need Manu Tuilagi to wield his strike-running scythe at outside centre, to contrast Ford and Farrell's creative fulcrum. Ben Earl will take a similar power role at No 8.
England have already qualified for the quarter-finals, and tomorrow's final Pool D game points the way to the knockout stages.
Borthwick has selected from strength and will hope his team can hone rhythm, tempo, physicality, and perhaps even some finesse.
Eddie Jones spent years after England's defeat in the 2019 World Cup final looking for a new way to attack that almost did not exist. The elevated attacking game that the astute Australian so craved never materialised, and he paid for that with his job.
Borthwick clearly wants England to pick up where they left off in 2019, seeing precious few problems with the tone and timbre of a team that was at times truly in concert.
