Martin Johnson is after a precedent-setting first win over a Tri Nations giant © Getty Images

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Teams: England | South Africa

Martin Johnson believes victory over South Africa tomorrow would be a seminal moment in his quest to re-establish England as the dominant force in world rugby.

Ten years ago, the Springboks arrived at Twickenham as world champions and one win away from setting a new record for consecutive Test victories. England won 13-7. It was their first victory over southern hemisphere opposition under Clive Woodward and proved to be the first step in changing the balance of power in world rugby.

England's victory did not cure their inferiority complex overnight - the Springboks would punish them in the quarter-finals of the 1999 World Cup - but Johnson recognises it in hindsight as the start of a vital process.

From the second Test against South Africa on the 2000 summer tour through to the 2003 World Cup final, England went unbeaten in 12 consecutive matches against the southern hemisphere giants. Johnson was particularly frustrated after last weekend's 28-14 defeat to Australia because he felt England had wasted a chance to lay down a marker.

This week, Johnson has urged his young troops to grab the opportunity with both hands. "It would be fantastic. You can look back on teams and identify their first big win and steps along the way. That would certainly be one for us tomorrow," said Johnson.

"That win in 1998 was our first against the southern hemisphere for about three years and our first under Clive. That was also a newish team."

England's record against the Tri-Nations teams since that 2003 triumph has been woeful, with just four wins from 20 Tests. The Springboks arrive at Twickenham tomorrow on another record run, after five straight victories over England including last autumn's World Cup final.

Johnson and his coaching staff have touched on that game in the build-up to this weekend but only to point out technical aspects of the Springboks' top-class lineout operation and England's own indiscipline.

But little else is relevant. With Andrew Sheridan dropping out of the squad yesterday, England's starting XV tomorrow only has three survivors from the World Cup final - Nick Easter, Phil Vickery and Paul Sackey.

Sheridan has been replaced by Wasps loose-head Tim Payne, who has a prime opportunity to nail down his place after two off weeks for the England pack. "Andrew has been our first-choice loose-head prop. We haven't scrummaged well in two games. That is not having a go at Andy, it is a fact," said Johnson. "Our forwards have got to put that right. Tim Payne knows he has an opportunity to keep hold of the shirt."

Johnson is no fan of the modern-day "instant celebrity and instant results" culture and there will be no danger of him getting carried away if England do win tomorrow.

Yes, on the day victory in the Test match is the be all and end all - but Johnson is also closely monitoring the broader picture. He expects the likes of fly-half Danny Cipriani, who has taken criticism over the last two weeks, to emerge from the demanding schedule a stronger man and a better player.

Cipriani will make only his fourth Test start tomorrow having been outplayed by opposite number Matt Giteau last Saturday. Jake White, who guided South Africa to World Cup victory last year, this week claimed he knows more about Cipriani's life in West End nightclubs than his qualities on the rugby pitch.

But England are confident Cipriani is a quick learner. "He is 21 years old. Things will affect him. He has to deal with it," said Johnson. "This is the first time he has been in a series of this intensity. Next week it is the All Blacks. You have to learn to deal with these situations. The Six Nations is a seven-week tournament.

"People want instant superstars, instant results. From our point of view he comes in, he trains hard and he wants to get better."

Johnson's frustration last week was that England dominated possession, forced Australia to make around three times as many tackles but still lost. They conceded too many penalties but Johnson was also concerned by the number of opportunities that were blown because England went "off script" in attack.

In contrast, Australia had one try-scoring chance and they took it. "If we can turn three or four situations around from a negative to last week, to a positive this week, the difference on the scoreboard is 12 points," said Johnson

"In the heat of the game you have to stand up to the physicality but we have to have the confidence to play what we are trying to do."