Flood restored England's three-point lead with a penalty in front of the posts when Deon Stegmann, playing at blind-side flanker for the injured Burger, was caught offside following a bull-dozing Sheridan run.
The full-back's score was England's first try against South Africa in four matches but it proved scant consolation as the Springboks extended their winning run against England to seven successive matches - and it was achieved without stellar names such as Schalk Burger, John Smit, Fourie de Preez and winger Bryan Habana.