All roads might have led to the Octagon earlier in the afternoon, as the central city's bars and restaurants began to fill, but by 5pm the tide had definitely turned.
As late-afternoon sun smiled on the throng, Anzac Ave was shoulder-to-shoulder with English fans chanting as they came, bedecked in white, dressed as knights or in skin-hugging white lycra or inflatable astronaut suits.
There was even an appearance by Elvis.
The only costumes that appeared to be in short supply were those worn by Georgian fans - at least, those actually born in Georgia.
Instead, bands of enthusiastic Kiwis took up their cause, cheering them on as they fought valiantly, but lost 41-10.
Student Kimberley Rietveld (22) was leading one mob backing their adopted Georgian team.
"Why? Because they are the underdogs - we've got to give them help," she declared, backed by six other vocal fans with Kiwi accents.
Maurice Alderslade, from Christchurch, was another backing Georgia.
He had decided to travel south for yesterday's match after the Christchurch earthquakes ended the Garden City's chances of hosting any of the tournament matches.
Joining him were eight friends from as far away as Ireland, Australia and Wales - all hoping for a Georgian upset win.
However, yesterday's game was also a chance for Mosgiel resident Mark Frith (26) - originally of Lancashire, England - to see his beloved team play for the first time.
He moved to Dunedin about 15 years ago, but still supported England despite never having seen them in the flesh.
"England all the way - I'm just quite patriotic," he said.
He and partner Emily Hogg (25), also of Mosgiel, were among 124 people to use the Taieri Gorge Railway passenger train service from Mosgiel, disembarking at the Dunedin Railway Station to attend the match.
Dunedin police reported a well-behaved crowd, with 11 people evicted from the stadium but just one of those arrested for disorderly behaviour, a spokeswoman said.
St John staff treated nine people for "minor medical matters".
