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Martin Johnson said there would be no mass cull of players in the wake of England's heaviest defeat at Twickenham as South Africa signed off their European tour with an emphatic 42-6 win.

As against Australia last week England had lots of possession and were regularly inside the Springbok 22 but they rarely threatened a try.

In contrast the world champions looked deadly when they had a sniff of the line and scored five tries to secure their sixth successive win over the home side.

"We've learned a brutal lesson, it's going to be a difficult week," Johnson told a news conference, with an eye on next Saturday's game against New Zealand.

"It was a heavy defeat and the guys are desolate but we actually created more try-scoring opportunities than in the first two games but didn't take them.

"We could and should have scored at least a couple of times but it doesn't matter about the good things I could say because it was still 42-6."

Asked if he would make changes for the All Black game Johnson said the players needed to be given time to develop.

"I could chop and change the team every week but they are our best players," he said.

"There is no 50-cap cavalry coming over the hill - these are our best players. You can't just give guys 20 caps, they have to get experience like they did today.

"In many areas we competed well and created chances. It sounds hollow after that defeat but our job is to give them confidence, get them out there next week."

That game against the All Blacks looks a huge challenge for Johnson's shell-shocked players but the former captain, who five years ago to the day hoisted the World Cup in Sydney, said it would test their character.

"We have to get our heads up as a group," he said. "There will be some sniping, and rightly so, but it's about character now.

"We could give up and go home or come back next week and try to win, that's all you can do."

South Africa captain John Smit said it had been a "special day" for the world champions.

"Walking out of the changing room I just had that feeling that something big was about to happen," he said.

"The five tries are wonderful but I look at the way we defended and it really meant something."

Some of his squad had complained of mental and physical exhaustion during the week but there was no sign of it on Saturday and their attitude was summed up by lock Bakkies Botha's 40-metre sprint to haul down Delon Armitage as the fullback looked set to score in the corner in the first half.

"We've talked about that in the changing room and you just can't buy things like that," said Smit, whose team beat Wales and Scotland earlier in the tour. "I asked a lot from the guys this week and they gave me more.

"It was our target to create some momentum for next year with the British Lions coming and I am extremely happy with what I've seen over the last few weeks."

Reuters