As rain sheeted down on the Ashton Gate roof, it was clear this was an afternoon for making progress, rather than statements.
New Zealand hit their straps against Ireland last weekend, winning 40-0. Canada underlined their title credentials with a superb performance against Australia on Saturday.
And England?
Well, England cruised through the pool stages below full cylinders.
While United States, Samoa and Australia were all comprehensively beaten , the Red Roses are working to their own internal higher standards.
When you have won 30 straight matches, you have to.
Head coach John Mitchell has pointed to a little untidiness here, some slack hands there, and periods where England have been slow to start or let up the pressure on the accelerator.
On another day, under a different sky, an eager and enterprising Scotland might have been ideal opponents for England to show off the polished 80-minute, all-court performance we have yet to see at the World Cup.
As it was, near-monsoon conditions on this quarter-final Sunday washed those ideas down the drain. England racked up win number 31 in their growing list and got out of here.
Fly-half Holly Aitchison, given a first chance to show off her play-making, game-breaking smarts, added the bells and whistle she could.