Cipriani vents his frustration during Saturday's heavy defeat at the hands of the Springboks © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Thorn warns Cipriani over trappings of fame

News: Johnson under fire as All Blacks loom

Match Pack: England humiliated by Boks

Reaction: Johnson acknowledges shortcomings

Players/Officials: Danny Cipriani

Teams: England

A tiny bead of blood seeped from the boxer's-type cut above the right eyebrow of Danny Cipriani.

Yet that had nothing to do with the hurt which was raging deep behind his eyes after England's 42-6 defeat against South Africa. The 21-year-old fly-half's inability to influence proceedings had just contributed in part - a considerably large part actually - to the worst result at Twickenham in England's history.

Pride was smarting. It was confidence and self-belief which needed stitching and you sensed all Cipriani wanted was the chance to run back on that field next week against New Zealand and make up for the carnage which so recently had evolved.

"It hurts because we were playing for England in front of our own crowd," Cipriani said. "It hurts when you don't do your country proud. We must come back stronger from it. I need to have a hard shell and improve as best I can. I know within myself I have got it in me."

In truth, Cipriani could do with the hide of a rhino. Not just to deflect the criticism after seeing the latest in a string of charged-down kicks allow Danie Rossouw to score the all-important first try, but because Cipriani so far this autumn has been England's weakest link. It is a fact of top-level rugby that the number 10 determines a side's rhythm and tempo. He sets the tone, wrests the territory, controls the momentum.

Dan Carter does it majestically for New Zealand. Matt Giteau did it for Australia a week ago. Jonny Wilkinson, at his peak, was England's model of reliability. Cipriani, for all his ability to make a break, simply has not come close to exerting even a measure of control. His decision-making has been suspect, his execution from boot and hand flawed as epitomised when one pass sailed straight into touch when a try was on.

The bottom line is that the substance of the Wasps fly-half has not yet matched his bright-lights profile. Not come close. At least he recognised as much.

"I've got to get back in the analysis room and try to improve," he said. "Just get my head down and hopefully be part of the next match. As you could all see it was very disappointing on my behalf and the team deserved a lot better. We've let the whole squad down and that includes the management. I wasn't up to the level. I was very disappointed in my game and it's another learning curve.

"We're going to have to be very strong as a squad. There's going to be a lot of negativity outside it, but we need to rally. You can't knock this team. People say form is temporary and class is permanent, don't they?"

They also say the All Blacks are the best team on the planet, while Johnson's team are some way from confirming their international class. Yet the overriding mood of the England camp was that team manager Martin Johnson must be brave and stick by youngsters such as Cipriani and scrum-half Danny Care.

Outside centre Jamie Noon was typical. "We need an element of patience," said Noon. "As a nation we need to get behind these young guys. Stick with them and they'll work in time."

There is merit in such analysis after what was only Johnson's third match in charge. England's sense of adventure is not in doubt, neither is the fact that they dominated the turnovers and forced the world champions to make almost double their amount of tackles.

Yet the Springboks scored five tries, were quicker in every department, possessed forwards capable of mighty deeds in Schalk Burger and Victor Matfield and a fly-half, in Ruan Pienaar, who was the epitome of cool as he inflicted a humiliation to match the 36-0 demolition job in the group phase of the World Cup. By contrast, England had Cipriani, a man who gave sweat and blood and who one day might well beguile Twickenham.

The harsh truth, however, is that so far this autumn his magic has been little more than a myth.