James Lawton: Robinson defiance the sole consolation on England's night of shattering truths

There was a time when South Africa assumed it could beat the world, not out of ambition but of right, and we can be very precise about the last instance of this burning conviction. It was six minutes past nine local time here last night when they announced they occupied an entirely different class to the reigning the world champions. However, there is a big difference between overcoming the best of today's game and the forlorn gang for whom the glory of Sydney four years ago long since became less a spur than a rebuke.

This was rather more than England's worst nightmare. It was a statement about deeper failures than ever could be measured over the first days of a challenge which we now know is cruelly beyond their powers. We can talk about the ravages of injury to the iconic Jonny Wilkinson if we like. We can bemoan the loss of other certainties – not to the mention the claims of age, but the brutal truth is that we would just be shying away from the saddest of realities. It is that a largely ageing England team won the 2003 title - and promptly lost the future.

South Africa were also-rans Down Under but here last night they played a game just about unrecognisable in the shires of England.

It had rhythm and belief and a turn of of such thrilling foot that England indeed knew their fate as early as six minutes into the game. A burst of passing came from South Africa so spectacularly it would have brought this stadium to its feet had it been authored by Les Bleus and when flanker Juan Smith loping home so easily it was nothing less than a heartbreaking statement for England. It said they could hold no hope of reaching any deeper than the margins of this tournament they ground into submission four years ago.

For the most poignant symbol of this pitiful loss of status there could be no challenge to the sight of Jason Robinson making the last hobbling steps of a brilliant career. Robinson, who scored such a vital try on the march to the mountain top on that drizzling night in Sydney, winced in agony when his hamstring appeared to go as he launched another despairing charge at the South African lines.

All night Robinson had worn his defiant objection to the prospect of slaughter at the hands of a new and vibrant team. One run stretched the green shirts to their seams but for the South Africans it was almost a welcome hint of the kind of intensified action they can expect over the next weeks, and when he went down they did nothing to accentuate the degree of his hopelessness. They allowed him to retreat, wounded but still proud.

The sad truth, though, is that few champions in this or any other sport have declined so far and quickly as England and when Robinson left they rallied, as in some heroic tribute to a lost champion, into their most sustained bout of running and passing. But the South Africans absorbed the pressure and announced that perhaps they would save themselves for something rather more demanding.

They had, after all, announced their ambitions with some rather dazzling eloquence. After Smith's imperious opener, the brilliant scrum half Fourie Du Preez fashioned a try which as far as this England were concerned might have been hatched on another planet. With uncanny handling finesse, he took the ball away from an England challenger and ran perfectly before feeding wing JP Pietersen for the second of his two tries. On the other flank, the relentlessly aggressive, and breathtakingly quick Bryan Habana merely showed his latent capacity to ravage any team he faces.

Here certainly was an individual and collective performance which spoke of unlimited ambition...and potential. Whether they are ready to stop the march of the All Blacks, whether this World Cup has come a little quickly for the full expression of their potential, is a question which may take a little time to answer – and certainly England were in no position to unravel any of the mystery.

They were were condemned to a night of deepening humiliation, one when the worst of the fears that started to gather so soon after the triumphant parade through the West End of London came to a grim but, when you thought of it, not so surprising a head.

Four years ago England believed they had built the foundation of an empire. But then you do not build on greatness with old bones. You invest in new talent and new dreams. The South Africans have done it so boldly that England could find no alternative to bending their knee. It was a sad performance, and a sad truth that for some time they simply haven't been good enough to compete with the best in the world.

Man-for-man Marking at the Stade de France

By Tim Glover

England

* Jason Robinson: 8. Provided England's only cutting edge before limping off with a hamstring injury.

* Josh Lewsey: 7. Made a try-saving tackle on Fourie but otherwise had no opportunity in attack.

* Jamie Noon: 5. Again had nothing to show in offence but made a tackle on Habana which is something to write home about.

* Andy Farrell: 4. Was supposed to be England's goal kicker but never had a chance in that department. His kicking from set pieces was poor and he was generally too slow

* Paul Sackey: 5. Beaten by Du Preez for the second try and was not at home on the left wing.

* Mike Catt: 4. Playing his fourth World Cup and it showed. His tactical kicking, and that's all he offered, was poor.

* Shaun Perry: 3. Totally outclassed by his opposite number Du Preez and badly missed a tackle on Pietersen during the first try.

* Andrew Sheridan: 6. Gave everything in the front row but had little or no chance to make real headway.

* Mark Regan: 4. His throwing at the line-out wasn't accurate enough and was replaced after 55 minutes.

* Matt Stevens: 4. Up against it at tight head prop and conceded a number of silly penalties, usually for being offside.

* Simon Shaw: 4. Struggled to match the athleticism of the South African line-out jumpers and otherwise was anonymous.

* Ben Kay: 5. Like Shaw he was overshadowed and capped an unmemorable display with a truly awful chip when England had a rare attack.

* Martin Corry: 5. The captain did as he always does, performing valiantly in a lost cause.

* Tom Rees: 6. In a beleaguered back row found it hard going and made way for Moody after 52 minutes.

* Nick Easter: 5. Is supposed to make yards, break the game line and off load. He managed to do it a couple of times against increasing odds.

* Repalcements: Nothing a desperate Brian Ashton could do could make any difference

South Africa

* Percy Montgomery: 8. The blond full-back was rarely under pressure and his goal kicking was immaculate.

* JP Pietersen: 8. For once the wing was not overshadowed by his colleague Habana as he scored two brilliant tries

* Jaque Fourie: 6. Did everything rather well but for grounding the ball a few inches short for what would have been a first-half try

* Francois Steyn: 7. A youngster who looks increasingly the real deal. A cool head on raw shoulders

* Bryan Habana: 7. A quiet game and if England managed anything they stopped him scoring.

* Butch James: 7. Cool and calmand his tactical kicking was of the highest order.

* Fourie du Preez: 10. Quite outstanding in everything he did and instrumental in creating Pietersen's tries

* Os du Randt: 7. the Ox stood his ground and that was quite enough thank you

* John Smit: 7. The captain has rarely had an easier task in leading his country in such a vital Test match.

* Brendon Botha: 7. Had a tough battle with Sheridan but did enough to put South Africa on the front foot

* Bakkies Botha: 6. He probably thought he would be involved in a fiercer battle than this but did his bit.

* Victor Matfield: 8. A supreme talent in the line-out and England really didn't have anything to compare.

* Wikkus van Heerden: 8. Wouldn't have played but for the ban on Schalk Burger but such was the Boks' dominance that nobody noticed.

* Juan Smith: 8. England had nobody of similar pace, as witnessed by Smith's dash to the line for the Boks' first try

* Dannie Rossouw: 8. Made his presence felt in an impressive back row.