The Springboks signaled they might be genuine contenders for the 2007 World Cup with a 36-0 victory in which they did everything well. The English, the winners of the 2003 World Cup, sunk to new depths, doing almost everything badly and losing their best player, Jason Robinson, to what looked like a career-ending injury.

England's last defeat in a World Cup had come in the same stadium to the same foe a little under eight years ago. That day, Jannie de Beer kicked a record five drop goals as the Springboks won a quarterfinal encounter, 44-21. This time kicking drop goals was about the only thing the South Africans did not do well. Their forwards were strong, their backs, brilliantly directed by Fourie du Preez, the scrum half, deadly,

The game followed a depressing week for English rugby, one of many in the past few years. Its captain, Phil Vickery, was suspended and it lost its second fly half to injury. After some coaching poker from Brian Ashton, England began with Mike Catt at fly half with Andy Farrell where he was always has for England at inside center.