Then there were three. How long ago the night of the last World Cup final, on October 20, 2007, now seems, never mind the 2003 World Cup final played in Sydney exactly five years ago today. Of the XV that started against South Africa in Paris, only Paul Sackey, Phil Vickery and Nick Easter return for duty at Twickenham against the Springboks.

Coincidentally, that trio also missed last summer's tour to New Zealand and Easter, for one, is happy to have done so. Not that he wanted to surrender his place in England's back row but a damaged hand forced the issue - he flew to Auckland and then flew home again. He admits now that he needed the rest, that he had time for beneficial pre-season work with his club, Harlequins, and was handed an additional element of motivation when he was named in the Saxons squad in July, rather than the elite 32.

He was only promoted when Luke Narraway, the form No8 of early Guinness Premiership games, was forced out by a damaged hamstring, from which he returned for Gloucester last night, but Easter has made the most of the opportunity. He will make his nineteenth appearance this afternoon and, at 30, is playing as well as at any stage in his career.

Remarkably it is only 21 months since Easter made his debut and now he is regarded as one of the seniors of this developing England side, both because of the position in which he plays in the spine of the team, his understanding with Danny Care, his club scrum half, and the authority he has acquired. Almost as remarkable is that four of his 18 caps have come against South Africa, two on tour in the summer of 2007 and two in the subsequent World Cup.

“A lot of the guys in our team haven't been scarred by that tour,” he said with a rueful grin, recalling how understrength that particular tour party was and how severely afflicted by illness. But you learn in adversity and Easter, who played No8 and blind-side flanker, came across all three of the back row that will represent the Springboks today - Schalk Burger, Danie Rossouw and Pierre Spies.

“It didn't affect me and now I have the chance to play the world champions in our own backyard and get one over them,” he said, knowing that he has yet to appear on the winning side against South Africa. “Last year's World Cup final has gone, this is a new England, a new regime, new players.

“Rob Andrew told me that you never forget losing a World Cup final [Andrew, the RFU's director of elite rugby, played against Australia when England lost the 1991 final] and that's right, you shouldn't get over it. If you do, there's something wrong. But things have started well for this squad, we went off page against Australia but we know when these guys [from the southern hemisphere] come over here, it's for one game - against England.”