Chris Robshaw has reacted to a spirited defeat to New Zealand by declaring England must win a Six Nations title to provide evidence of genuine progress.
A side that uses the mantra "We are the most dominant team in the history of the world" for motivation required a moment of genius from Ma'a Nonu, finished by Julian Savea, to preserve their perfect record this year.
The try came after England displayed courage and character to replace a 17-3 deficit with a 22-20 lead, only for Nonu and Savea to intervene in the final quarter.
It was just their second defeat in 11 matches, but Robshaw insists any loss - even to the world champions in a breathless Test - is unacceptable.
"We're pretty close to where we want to be, but we're not quite there," the captain said.
"If we'd beaten New Zealand we'd have been pretty happy, but we're at that level where you can perform well and get close, but it's about winning.
"We are improving game by game, week by week and tournament by tournament and we must make sure we continue that.
"We've now finished second in the Six Nations for the last two years and the only way for us to improve is to win it. That's the aim."
Missing six British and Irish Lions and counting 528 fewer caps in their starting XV, England entered the match as 1/10 underdogs yet produced comfortably their best performance of the autumn.
Saturday's heroic defeat was the first of five encounters between the world's first and third best teams over the coming 12 months.
England tour New Zealand in June, playing three Tests and one midweek game, and the teams will lock horns once again next autumn.
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