Chris Robshaw was far from downbeat after England's opening Test defeat against South Africa but admits they need to learn from their mistakes.
There was little to separate the sides before the interval in Durban and were level at 6-6 as Owen Farrell and Morne Steyn traded penalties but South Africa broke down England after half-time and tries from Steyn and Jean de Villiers gave the Springboks first blood in the three-Test series.
"We went in 6-6 at half-time, we came out all guns blazing but unfortunately they got an early score and managed to build pressure on us," captain Robshaw told Sky Sports 2.
"South African sides, you always know they're going to be very physical but if you looking at the game we were never more than a score away but unfortunately we were the wrong side of that score.
"We have to start building for next week, there's been a lot of positives and a couple negatives you can pick out today."
Ben Foden's try was mere consolation but was reward for England's endeavour in the closing stages and Robshaw hopes they can take that into next Saturday's clash.
"In this three-match series of course we would have liked to have won the first match but it's onwards and upwards now and there's a lot of hard work to do.
"It's all about the result at the end of the day but the last 10-15 minutes we showed we can put our game on the pitch and move them around.
"We did that
throughout the majority of the first half but we've got to start to do it for the full 80 minutes."
England head coach Stuart Lancaster was disappointed with the result but full of praise for his side's spirited performance.
The tourists met the Springboks' challenge head on at Kings Park but ultimately suffered their eighth successive Test loss to South Africa.
Lancaster, however, said: "I was happy with the endeavour and the effort we put in from the first minute until the 80th minute.
"Very positive first-half performance, accurate in a lot of areas and it was that third quarter where the Springboks got on top of us a bit and it's very hard when they get that momentum.
"(The players are) disappointed because it's one we could have won.
"Certainly in the first half we were the better side and we played some good rugby but we weren't on top in the scoreboard.
"But they had that period at the start of the second half and put us under real pressure.
"(We showed) resilience to come back at the end and get back and score that try."
Lancaster was pleased with his substitutes' performances, paying particular praise to Phil Dowson, Lee Dickson and Toby Flood.
But the 42-year-old would not be drawn on any potential changes to his line-up and was at pains to point out his sole focus is the clash with South Africa Barbarians.
"It's early days in thinking about next week," he added. "We've got a game on Wednesday first and foremost.
"I thought all the subs did well so we'll sit down review it today and tomorrow and pick our side for Wednesday and we'll go from there."
