At the start of 2020, England boss Eddie Jones boldly proclaimed his side aimed to become the “greatest of all time”.
But England had stuttered since the 2019 World Cup in Japan, winning matches in prosaic style through 2020 before the wheels came off in the 2021 Six Nations, finishing fifth.
Jones jettisoned some England greats ahead of the autumn, putting faith in the likes of Marcus Smith at fly-half and Freddie Steward at full-back.
This “new England”, with captain Owen Farrell injured, came storming out of the blocks against South Africa, and although the world champions wrestled back momentum in the second half, Raffi Quirke’s fine try and Smith’s late penalty ensured a memorable win in front of an enraptured Twickenham.