On their put-in, Danie Rossouw drove impressively from the base of the scrum and Victor Matfield took it on. Hands in the ruck by prop Andy Sheridan gifted Montgomery a third penalty and South Africa a 9-3 half-time lead.
The second period started in dramatic fashion, Tait ducking a high Steyn tackle and streaking 40m towards the line, rounding Montgomery before being brought down by a fantastic covering tackle by Matfield.
The ball was spun wide and found Cueto with 5m to go to the whitewash, but a desperate tackle by No. 8 Rossouw was ruled to have taken the winger into touch although the video replays did not look convincing.
Wilkinson immediately claimed a consolation penalty after the Bok backs were ruled offside in the build-up.
English ill-discipline, this time by Martin Corry with hands in the ruck, was again punished by a fourth Montgomery penalty after another strong break by Steyn.
The youngster then made amends for a missed long-range penalty with a successful 47m shot at goal after obstruction in the England backs with just under 20 minutes to go.
South Africa were then content to play the percentage game, clearing their lines effectively and swarming over any English attack in the same manner that saw them progress through the seven-week, 20-nation World Cup unbeaten and deserved winners.
Veteran South Africa prop Os du Randt confirmed his retirement on Saturday after collecting his second World Cup winner's medal.
"I had decided before the World Cup that I would stop and this was my last match tonight," said the 35-year-old after the Springboks' 15-6 win over England at the Stade de France.
Du Randt, who was playing in his 80th Test, also played in the 1995 World Cup winning team when the Springboks beat New Zealand 15-12.
The prop, the only surviving player from that team in the current line-up, joins Australia's John Eales, Tim Horan and Jason Little as a two-time World Cup winner.
England center Mike Catt is undecided whether or not to call time on his international career after England's 15-6 defeat by South Africa in the World Cup final on Saturday.
The 36-year-old was instrumental in England's resurgence at the tournament, although he has not always been fully appreciated by England fans who once booed him off at Twickenham.
"I haven't decided yet whether this was my last international," Catt said in the Sunday Telegraph.
"I will go away and talk to my family about it. I really enjoyed it out there last night and it's not something I'm going to throw away without a good deal of thought," Catt said.
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