You have to go back to 2003 and a Springbok squad scarred from Kamp Staldraad to find the only time they have lost to England in a World Cup.
Martin Johnson's team went on to win the tournament and would beat this 2023 England side as comprehensively as the Boks are likely to on Saturday night.
Friday night's semi-final is more open to doubt, since Argentina beat New Zealand for the second time in their history just 14 months ago in Christchurch.
That 27-24 result ratcheted up the pressure on coach Ian Foster, who has just two matches left in his tenure before handing over to Scott Robertson.
Of course, we only have to go back four years to the last major semi-final upset, when England beat the All Blacks comprehensively in Japan.
It was England's finest moment under the coaching of Eddie Jones, and it led to a spectacular fall from grace a week later, in the final against the Boks.
The other thing that the bookmakers can't take into account is the possibility of an horrendous decision by the officials, such as happened in the semi-final between Wales and France in 2011.
Welsh captain Sam Warburton was red carded by referee Allain Rolland after a hard, but fair tackle on Vincent Clerc. Playing for an hour with 14 men, Wales lost 9-8.
The sheer number of ridiculous calls by the "bunker" system at this World Cup means that a travesty of justice is almost inevitable.
No team can properly prepare for such interventions, but it is notable that both England and South Africa lead the tournament with just eight penalties conceded per game.
Eben Etzebeth's yellow card against France is the only card conceded by the Boks in France.
When Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber took the reins in 2018, they were targeting this World Cup, not the last one.
South Africa arrive at this semi-final with an unchanged side from the extraordinary display against France, and the most experienced team in their history. They can't lose.
New Zealand have overcome an opening-day loss to France and played their best game in the Foster era against Ireland last week.
They can lose, but they shouldn't.
