For Clive Woodward's empire-building England, familiarity with the Springboks breeds only content these days. The word "fluke" does not remotely apply to three successive wins over South Africa in 17 months, this one by a record margin.
As Martin Johnson, who has not lost a game in an England jersey since the 1999 World Cup, put it: "To win by 20 points against South Africa and still say we'd like to have done this or that can only be a good thing." With 10 victories in 11 Tests during this calendar year, only kill-joys can grumble about England's occasional failure to dazzle every week.
The post-match statistics showed England missed just one tackle in a contest Woodward described as "the most physical game I've ever seen". Yet the way his side pushed on from 9-6 at half-time and absorbed every body blow the one-dimensional Springboks could muster was further proof of their inner fortitude.
For a glimpse of their mindset these days, Jonny Wilkinson's reaction at the final whistle was telling. He kicked seven towering penalties in defiance of a bruised hip yet having failed to convert Dan Luger's injury-time interception try, his body language suggested he had achieved nothing at all.
For all Wilkinson's expertise and the individual spark that Jason Robinson now provides, however, it is a hardening team ethic that drives this side. When Johnson went off late on with a hyper-extended elbow, it was to ensure he did not let his team-mates down by missing a tackle.
They are frighteningly fit, too, although on this occasion their hopes of exhausting a juggernaut Springbok pack in the second half were scuppered by a stop-start game, notably the six-minute delay when the referee Stuart Dickinson strained a calf muscle and had to be replaced by Ireland's David McHugh.
It would be remiss, nevertheless, to ignore England still have room for improvement in terms of midfield penetration. In theory, at least, a tendency towards overcrowding and seeking contact inside rather than space on the flanks can be rectified.
The scrum and lineout also endured lean periods but Woodward was right afterwards not to waste time on "hyperbole about where we stand". Arguments about England's world status are largely irrelevant until the 2003 World Cup.
There is no team in the world, though, who would not covet Wilkinson's accuracy. His ability to kick long goals from the wrong side of the pitch for a left-footer is almost freakish and if there was an element of luck about the kick that bounced off the post and down over the bar to put England 15-6 ahead, Gary Player's old adage, "the more I practise the luckier I get", sprang to mind.
What, though, of South Africa? Somewhere along the line the cogs have jammed in Harry Viljoen's vision and their lack of ambition was glaring.
Viljoen was defensive afterwards but there is absolutely no point playing talents like Breyton Paulse if Louis Koen at outhalf is simply going to leather the ball skywards every time. The much vaunted Bobby Skinstad's most forceful contribution was the heavy tackle that ultimately led to Richard Hill departing with damaged ribs and it was the Springbok captain's despairing floated pass that set up Luger's late party piece.
The excellent Joe Worsley was unimpressed - "If you front up to them and knock them back, they haven't got much else" - and Skinstad could only counter by pointing out "a couple of penalties and an interception try is not necessarily a drubbing". No, but five successive wins over Southern Hemisphere teams are evidence of a new world order.
ENGLAND: Robinson; Healey, Greenwood, Catt (Tindall, 78 mins), Luger; Wilkinson, Bracken; Rowntree, West, Vickery, Johnson (capt; Kay, 80 mins), Grewcock, Hill (Moody, 58 mins), Back, Worsley.
SOUTH AFRICA: Jantjes; Paulse, Halstead, Van Straate, Hall; Koe, Van der Westhuizen; Le Roux, Smit (Van Biljon, 66 mins), Meyer (Visagie, h-t ), Matfield, Andrews (A Venter, 66 mins), Vos (Krige, 66 mins), A J Venter, Skinstad (capt).
Referee: S Dickinson (Australia; D McHugh, Ireland, 11 mins).
