No post-isolation South African national rugby team has contained so many black starters in a sport dominated for more than a century by white players.
Black players were banned from the national team, the Springboks, during the apartheid era with players separated along racial lines.
And tortoise-like transformation progress in recent years led the government to ban South African Rugby from hosting or bidding for international events.
This move has jeopardised hopes of staging the 2023 Rugby World Cup with South Africa competing against France, Ireland and Italy.
The tour match in cold central city Bloemfontein was a tale of two halves with England leading 22-3 at half-time thanks to three tries from turnover ball.
A much-improved second-half showing by the shadow Springboks brought them within a point of the more experienced visitors eight minutes from time.
But the England 'A' side had the final say when centre Oliver Devoto dived over two minutes from time and fly-half Danny Cipriani converted.
The teams meet again next Friday in Indian Ocean town George.