England Rugby World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward criticised the absence of “real footballers” in the Red Rose backline after Saturday’s 31-28 loss to South Africa at Twickenham.

Woodward, who guided England to World Cup glory in 2003, saw current coach Stuart Lancaster’s side match the Springboks up front, but fail to match them behind the scrum.

“The forward pack is doing really well,” said Woodward.

“The front five, the scrums, the lineout, all the traditional strengths of English rugby are going well.

“It’s outside of that I just don’t think we are quick enough and we’re certainly not playing enough real footballers in the backs division to take on Australia, South Africa and New Zealand – which has to be the goal,” added Woodward who, in his playing days, starred as a free-running centre in England’s 1980 grand slam-winning side.

South African centre Jan Serfontein grabbed an intercept try in the first half and halfback Cobus Reinach, in his Test debut, scored his first Springbok try after five-eighth Pat Lambie’s brilliant chip ahead was regathered, at speed, by fullback Willie le Roux a minute after the break.

It was England’s second agonising three-point loss in as many weeks following the 24-21 defeat by world champions New Zealand and their fifth in a row – albeit four were against the All Blacks – with this run their worst since they suffered seven straight reverses in 2006.