Scrum was key to Springboks’ win and we could only watch

line-out, rush an attacker, hold back, ask a team-mate to doublecover you. In the scrum you cannot hide; it is the same confrontation each time. South Africa knew that, and forced five penalties from England in six scrums. Whatever you saw outside this was supplementary: this was the foundation of South Africa’s win, and their starting and replacement front rows deserve specific recognition for their contributions.

What made it worse for England was the success of the Springbok line-out. Previously they had been almost perfect, but when this also started to go wrong, England could not rely on their set-piece. Once a side struggle in the set-piece, they struggle everywhere, and that made another important issue even more difficult. Outside the setpiece it was always going to be a question of whether England could avoid the tackle being a straight one-on-one contest.

Though they managed to vary the point of contact, they had nowhere near the freedom and space they had in previous games and players such as Duane Vermeulen and Pieter-steph du Toit stopped them getting enough quick ball to play on the front foot.

In contrast, the Springbok half-backs, Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard, managed to keep their team going forward. They

‘South Africa had no doubt about what they wanted and how they would go about getting it’

were comfortably ahead of their counterparts in thought and deed and the way they varied runs, kicks and whether they moved the ball open or down the short side. South Africa’s all-round kicking game was better than England’s. Elliot Daly found himself under pressure and, as is the way, any mistakes were amplified given his position.

This was a triumph of certainty and clearly delineated ambition over a free-roving optional game that relies on players being in a position to make the right calls and execute them. South Africa had no doubt about what they wanted and how they would go about getting it. England could not impose their initial set game on the Springboks, and so the question of what options they could execute did not arise.

It will be no consolation to the England players, but many of them will be back and will be wiser and better. Under Jones they have twice hit No1 in World Rugby’s rankings, have improved markedly and only fallen at the final step. However, they and Jones have ultimately failed. Sport is an unforgiving world, and you cannot sugar-coat that.