Stormers announce capture of Japan coach Jones

That incredible Pool B opener has already been described as the biggest upset in rugby history, but Jones wants his team to prove their Springboks slaying was no fluke.

South Africa had even hinted it would be prepared to step in as replacement hosts, an offer nearly certainly killed off by Karne Hesketh’s injury-time match- winning try.

Japan players and fans shed tears of joy at the end of a thrilling encounter that ebbed and flowed throughout, though few, if any, would have predicted defeat for the 1995 and 2007 champions.

“I also spoke to my mum and my wife about it but I don’t want to have too many distractions”.

He said: “When we watched Japan, we had one eye on our game against them as well and our analysis of them has been spot on”.

A fanatical Springboks supporter, Ron cycled from South Africa to see his country in the tournament, a mammoth journey that took him two years and five months.

“If we manage that, then we can get ourselves into contention for the game”.

But the courageous Blossoms are still buzzing and Leitch insists they would not have it any other way as they prepare a World Cup welcome for Vern Cotter’s side. “Our surprise factor is gone and they are going to come with all guns blazing”.

“We had spoken about them and said they are very accurate in the first three phases, which they were”.

“Now the history has changed for Japanese rugby”.

South Africa now take on Samoa on Saturday and Japan face Scotland on Wednesday. “It was an absolutely unbelievable scene which will live with me for the rest of my life”, he said in the Daily Mail.

It is Scotland’s first match of the tournament and Gilchrist – who has been picked ahead of giant team-mate Richie Gray to start in the second row – said: “We have always had a lot of respect for Japan”.

“When it got to the 60th minute and we were drawing, I looked up at the big screen and there was this old man in tears – and we still had 20 minutes to go!”

He said: “I wouldn’t say we are under any extra pressure. But we’ve addressed what could disrupt us in our preparation”.

“It was one of those performances where we can’t put our finger on why we lost, we were just beaten by the better team on the day”, admitted captain Jean De Villiers.