England manager Martin Johnson aims to turn back the clock against South Africa

The mind of Martin Johnson is not easily yanked back into the past but on Friday lunchtime, shortly after wrapping up training at Roehampton, he allowed his thoughts to be drawn to a previous game against South Africa.

England v South Africa
Kick-off: Sat Nov 22, 14:30; Twickenham Stadium, London
TV: Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD2
Radio: BBC Radio 5 Live

Ten years ago Nick Mallett's Springboks came to Twickenham needing only to win to set a world record of 18 consecutive Test victories. England, led by Lawrence Dallaglio and with Martin Johnson at lock, won 13-7. It was a pivotal moment for that generation.

"That was the first win by us over the southern hemisphere with a newish team under Clive Woodward," Johnson said. "You do look back and identify those first big wins and those steps along the way. That would certainly be the case for us on Saturday. It would be fantastic."

A win would bring so much substance to the cause, so much hope for the future. It is what England need.

In their current mindset, England supporters must hope that it will only be the elements that chill them to the bone this afternoon, not the fortunes of their team. There will be more than an icy edge in the air at Twickenham, there will be a sharp twinge of apprehension as well with fans fearing that lessons may not have been truly learnt, that fledgling England are still mere boys on the international stage, and that the rerun of last year's Rugby World Cup will have the same downbeat outcome.

These are natural concerns, but not inevitabilities. England are in a state of flux, of growing, of wandering, too, alarmingly so at times. They are neither predictable nor reliable. Who might have imagined that they would turn over two scrums to the Wallabies? They are aiming to be a team for all seasons. At the moment they are no more than the team of this season: new, raw, careless but also intermittently uplifting and dangerous.

England need to be narrow-eyed against the Boks, primed to meet that ferocious physical challenge that all South African sides present. If you wilt in the mano-a-mano stakes, then you are doomed.

Johnson has also highlighted the calamitous tendency of his team to concede penalties and miss opportunities, but rather than berate and rollock, he has been measured and upbeat.

Cutting out daft penalties is one thing: throttling back quite another. "You can't stand off," said Johnson. "You've got to compete for the ball or you'll lose the game anyway."

His faith in his squad is reflected in his selection, with just one initial change to the starting line-up, James Haskell replacing Tom Croft on the blindside flank. Since then, Johnson has been obliged to draft Tim Payne in at loosehead prop for Andrew Sheridan, who has a sore neck. Payne's elevation takes the Wasps' contingent up to eight players in the run-on XV, with Simon Shaw swelling the numbers on the bench. Country may do club a favour if Wasps' faltering season is kick-started by sumptuous performances from its stars in England colours. The flip side, that they continue to strive and struggle, will be bad news for England.

If there is the merest hint of a repetition of last week's mistakes and profligacy, then England are in for a difficult afternoon. Ignore the fact that South Africa have been fitful themselves, scratchy and inconsistent against Wales and leaden, as well as lucky, against Scotland. Results, I hear you ask? Oh, they won both Tests.

South Africa will not be distracted. The next time the Boks congregate for a Test match their minds will be focused on avenging the series defeat inflicted on them 11 years ago by the British and Irish Lions.

There is also the little matter of the opposition to fire their juices. England and South Africa have had a particularly fractious history over the last decade. There have been brawls and disputes, and a keen World Cup rivalry. Many of this Springbok generation have yet to win at Twickenham even though South Africa are gunning for their sixth successive victory over England.

Johnson's England will do well to halt that momentum. Time, then, for a landmark moment.