DESPITE an early score from Bath flanker Francois Louw, South Africa succumbed to one of the biggest shocks in Rugby World Cup history, losing 34-32 to Japan at the Brighton and Hove Community Stadium.

South Africa breezed through the game and their play reeked of complacency as they consistently allowed Japan to peg them back with cheap scores.

Ayumu Goromaru kicked five penalties to set the stage for Karne Hesketh to dive over the line with the game beyond 80 minutes and make rugby history in recording a dramatic success for The Cherry Blossoms.

It was Japan's first win at the World Cup in 24 years, that previous success coming against Canada. 

Louw denied that he and his teammates had underestimated their unfancied opponents, instead choosing to credit the Japanese for their performance.

"It is extremely disappointing," the Bath man told the Wiltshire Times. "It's obviously not the result we wanted. It is what it is and we know what has to be rectified in the next three games.

"That's not what we were expecting when I went over. We went out to play well and get the three points, but credit to Japan they didn't let that happen today."

Louw heaved the ball over the line to cancel out an early Japanese penalty, but Michael Leitch gave Japan the lead again from a catch and drive.

Bismarck Du Plessis trundled over from a driving maul to give the Springboks a 12-10 lead at the half, but Eddie Jones' side were well in the contest.

Another penalty after the break gave Japan the lead again, but Lood de Jager as moved through a gap in the red and white ranks to quickly the cancel that out.

At this stage you expected the Boks to assert themselves, but the green shove never arrived.

Goromaru kicked his side into parity twice. Initially to 19-19, then again after Pat Lambie added a penalty to make it 22-22.

When Adriaan Strauss went over it seemed once more as if the Cherry Blossoms' race was run, but Goromaru finished a slick line-out move and added the extras to once more level the scores.

There were boos from the Springbok fans when replacement fly-half Handre Pollard opted to take three points rather than kick for the corner late on, but few would have predicted how crucial that decision proved to be.

As the clock ticked over the 80 minute mark the Japanese set up Hesketh's late dive for the corner with some bold choices.

With Coenie Oosthuizen in the sin bin the Japanese were faced the option of kicking a penalty for a draw or risking defeat by opting for the scrum.

They chose the latter and were richly rewarded as they exploited their man advantage to make the room for their dramatic win.

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