World champions South Africa gave England a painful reminder of how far they are from regaining rugby's ultimate crown.
Beaten by Scotland last week, the Springboks rolled up as supposed fodder for England's rebirth as a world force.
Victory would have shot Martin Johnson's men up to second in the world rankings.
Instead, they were put back in their place by a team superior in the physical battles and the art of winning Test matches - in England's case, seven defeats by the Boks in a row.
Ben Foden grabbed a last-gasp interception try to warm a frozen crowd, but it was too little, too late.
Johnson (below) said: "That was a big and brutal Test match where we lost guys to injury and where we had moments to regret, such as declining to kick for goal and then finding our advantage had gone.
"After the recent games, this is a bitter pill to swallow. But a lot of the guys were facing the Boks for the first time and matched them in battle.
"They took their chances better than we did, but we will stick together and be the better for this series when we get together for the Six Nations."
Skipper Lewis Moody added: "The better team won but we are bitterly disappointed. It is so annoying. We made too many mistakes, conceded too many stupid penalties.'' Springbok captain Victor Matfield said: ''We should have won in Scotland and we have won here on merit. We had England under pressure a lot of the game."
Toby Flood opened England's account with a sixth-minute penalty after great work by Nick Easter and Tom Croft reduced the Boks' ranks to panic.
Wing Chris Ashton needed three minutes treatment after clattering into Matfield, cracking his head on the lock's hip-bone. Despite resembling Bambi on ice when he stood up, Ashton was left on.
Morne Steyn equalised with a penalty after 10 minutes when referee George Clancy penalised Andrew Sheridan for collapsing a scrum.
But Flood edged England back in front, only for them to come under heavy fire with two try-scoring chances butchered by the visitors.
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Ben Youngs was the hero for the second, denying Matfield who was over the line and poised to score.
Trouble brewed when Croft was helped off with what looked like a serious arm injury, replaced by South African-born Hendre Fourie.
South Africa's pressure was rewarded when Steyn was handed another shot at goal, but his penalty attempt clipped the left-hand post and flew wide.
It was the same tale of woe for the Boks on the half-hour when centre Francois Steyn's penalty from near halfway smacked against the same post and rebounded into Mike Tindall's arms.
Flood was helped off in the 34th minute, still suffering from an accidental collision earlier and was replaced by Charlie Hodgson.
South Africa were deservedly level two minutes later when Morne Steyn punished England's indiscipline with his second successful penalty.
And he made it three, two minutes after the break when Tindall was caught offside.
The roof, creaking all afternoon, fell in on England in the 59th minute.
Another lineout drive ended when Gio Aplon armed Willem Alberts, who smashed his way over.
This was a baffling scenario because the England of recent weeks had disappeared, replaced by the scuffling, error-prone outfit of 12 months ago.
England had plenty of opportunities, pinning the Boks back for what proved spells of utter frustration, a combination of poor passing and even worse finishing.
And it was game over in the 70th minute when Ashton and Simon Shaw both missed Lwazi Mvovo, who scooted home for his first Test try, Steyn converting.
Foden's late effort was mere consolation for England.
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