South Africa 36 England 0
KEY POINTS:
This is no mirage - South Africa are for real.
In destroying defending champions England, they not only gave themselves a less-threatening route to the semifinals but also banished any realistic notion that England might be able to defend their crown.
They did it with no great subtlety,
just 36 unanswered points, most created by the brilliant halfback Fourie du Preez who tormented England all night. When he left in the 67th minute it looked like a mercy call.
For those English who like their bad news in floods rather than trickles, livewire fullback Jason Robinson looks to have suffered a tournament-ending hamstring injury. At the very least he will be joining the queue for the medical room with Jamie Noon who left Stade de France on a stretcher.
This was more than a pool match.
It was a chance for revenge for the Boks who were comprehensively outplayed by England at this stage four years ago. More importantly, at stake was an easier path to the semifinals as the winner will almost certainly meet Wales in the quarter-final, while the loser would meet an Australian side who look like they have timed their run nicely (again).
As it was, England face a more immediate threat than Australia.
They now need to beat Samoa, who are unlikely to capitulate as they did last week against the Boks.
It is also difficult to see how England can improve enough to remain competitive at this tournament.
Jonny Wilkinson will, potentially, make a big difference but only if he gets better service from the No 8-9 axis. Shaun Perry, until substituted at halftime, was no better than club standard and the highly rated Nick Easter looks too fond of testing the brick walls at the ends of blind alleys, rather than looking for little paths and spaces through the opposition.
Coach Brian Ashton might cling to the hope that Lawrence Dallaglio, not even in the 22 here, has a few more big matches in him but it seems a forlorn one.
It was Ashton who pulled the first real swifty of the tournament, naming Andy Farrell at first five-eighths then later admitting that the seasoned Mike Catt would be wearing 10.
Still, Jake White lost no sleep coming up with game plans to counter either.
Catt in his prime was a step above the honest journeyman he has become, but he is certainly no Jonny Wilkinson. His drop at goal early was shades of an oft-crocked first five disregarding the crucial fact that it missed. Other than that, he would have looked more comfortable wearing a hairshirt than the No 10 guernsey.
And Farrell? He's not even Andy Farrell really, not the Andy Farrell of the 13-man vintage anyway, though he was at least a composed presence in midfield for the most part.
The Boks have had problems of their own but in comparison they have been minor. Schalk Burger was taking an enforced rest - as he will next week - but in Wikus van Heerden South Africa had a readymade replacement of some pedigree.
The rugby charms of Jean de Villiers are sometimes hard to fathom but there was genuine fear his experience will be missed in the midfield.
South Africa's opening try, after just six minutes, was pure class. JP Pietersen found space on a short blindside, committed two before putting Du Preez away. Only a desperate lunging ankle tap by Jason Robinson grounded him. Du Preez had the nous not to panic, delaying his pass from a prone position until he saw flanker Juan Smith ranging up inside him.
The truth was, even at that juncture, you knew England did not have the class to conjure up a like reply but instead would need grit and penalties, or some Robinson magic, to get back into it. Instead it was the booming boot of Francois Steyn that pushed the lead out to 10 points.
Perhaps England's lack of invention, gumption, call it what you will, was best demonstrated when they won those rarest of victories, a scrum against the feed. But halfback Perry promptly turned on his heel and kicked it out on the full - hardly surprising that he struggled to look his forwards in the eye.
Don't get the impression the Boks were perfect, though. They might have been lucky to get away with holding back Robinson when a kick-and-chase try looked possible and Jacques Fourie butchered a try when du Preez's vision and boot opened up England.
It is easy to forget that before sending out a weak squad to the Republic this year, England had won four of the previous five tests between the two countries.
By halftime, those days must have seemed an eternity ago.
Picking up a loose ball that could have spelt real trouble for the Boks, du Preez instead set off on a solo run that left him with a simple draw and pass to put Pietersen in.
Joel Jutge might have blown for halftime shortly after, but it might as well have been game over.
Pietersen's second try was courtesy of du Preez' instincts and Percy Montgomery kept banging kicks over.
Simple.
South Africa 36 (J. Smith, JP Pietersen 2 tries; P. Montgomery 4 pens 3 cons, F. Steyn pen). Ht: 20-0
