South African media and fans have reacted with predicable fury to the Springboks' defeat by Japan, while giving credit to the Brave Blossoms for the World Cup upset of upsets.
Image 1 of 10: Ayumu Goromaru of Japan tackles Jean De Villiers of South Africa. Photo / Getty Images
Long time rugby writer Gavin Rich, for SuperSport, reckoned: "It will go down as one of the most famous results in any Rugby World Cup and also surely South African rugby's most embarrassing moment in the history of the game.
"It was indeed a fairy-tale for Japan, and had someone written it, no-one save perhaps the victorious Japan coach Eddie Jones, who did talk his team up this week, would have considered it a credible story.
"But if the truth were to be told, the Boks were also an embarrassment in terms of their passive defence, the arrogance of a captain who early in the game eschewed kickable penalties that would have made a difference to the result - as if he shouldn't have learned his lesson already - and, last but not least, conceding a driving maul try to a pack that was diminutive by comparison. The Bok discipline was abysmal."
