The greatest upset in rugby history? 🤯 | South Africa v Japan | Final Minutes | Rugby World Cup 2015 

Is this the best result at a world cup ever? If not, what is? Let us know in the comments!

Japan going full death-or-glory mode is one of the greatest moments in international sport. Could have taken the penalty and the draw but decided to back themselves. True champions.

The decison to not bank a definite draw was next level ballsy

I remember being at work and occasionally checking the scores. By halftime, I was impressed that Japan was still in it but was fully expecting South Africa to pull ahead in the second half. My eyes kept getting wider and wider as I saw Japan was in it until the last minutes, and finally pulling ahead for the win. I finished my shift and went home and watched the entire match, and to this day is still one of the best matches of rugby that I’ve watched.

AS a South African can I just say what bravery and determination from my Japanese brothers. Just beautiful game and still inspiring to this day. Rugby is a team sport and Japan was just inspirational on this day.

6 years on this video still gives me goosebumps, awesome ending!

I was there, at Brighton, watching this amazing game with my two sons. One was a footballer, and had never watched Rugby before. We were just overwhelmed by the atmosphere, the enthusiasm - and what Japan were doing to SA. The tension was amazing - it was electric in those closing minutes. And then the brave Blossoms went over and scored, the stadium erupted, everybody went wild. My footballer son asked in amazement - ‘Dad, are all Rugby games like this?’ Sadly, I had to tell him he wouldn’t ever see a game that equalled this one - not ever…

I will never not watch this. One of the all time great sports moments.

I'm South African, and that last try by Japan gives me chills. Much respect

It hurts when a team steals the show against you in the dying minute....but I just love how Japan went for the win and got it through sheer guts and determination. A team playing all out for a win in the dying minutes is like playing against an army. Japan always punch above their weight, whether in soccer, baseball or rugby....in many ways rugby was made for them....thinking collectively, re-cycling the breakdowns, the never give up attitude. Awesome piece of rugby history.

I’m gonna say it - this was THE biggest moment ever in rugby

I have played and watched sport for the majority of my 65 years and seen some great moments, but NOTHING compares with this.

8 years later and still emotional to watch. What an incredible day. That is rugby! On the eve of another world cup, my excitement is through the roof.

As a Springbok fan, when I watched this game, all I could do was clap and smile. We got beaten fair and square by Japan that day and it was a brilliant game to watch. I don’t mind losing in such a fashion and it only hopes strengthen the game of rugby. They’ve become one of my favourite teams to watch. I can say I’m a fan of Japanese rugby for sure

This is why sports is so great. You could NEVER EVER write a script like this!! We ❤ 🇯🇵!!

Sometimes when I am feeling things are all a bit hard - I come back and watch these 7 minutes - then I pick myself up again and carry on...

One of the bravest sporting performances I've ever seen. Brilliant Japan. SA will still go on to win many tournaments over the years ahead...I doubt any SA fans will begrudge Japan that victory.

As a Boks supporter living in the UK, this is a bitter pill. BUT! Thoroughly deserved win and massive respect to Japan.

Watched this so many times, and I still get a bit emotional. One of the all time great sports moments 🇯🇵

Posting this a day before the autumn nations South-Africa vs England match will just rage the boks with anger.

I have a lot of memories of rugby through the years but this is my absolute favourite.

You know you did something special when even the English security guards are going nuts on the sidelines……

I teared up when i watched this match. It was such an honor to witness this moment in rugby history ❤️

Japan is always up there with the rest of the world in every major sporting events just amazing really.

That victory over South Africa was the beginning of that Japanese improvement. That impact try in the final minute was stunning. 8 years later I still couldn't believe of the Japan's hugest triumph. May in the next years, Japan could be the biggest one and do equals with Southern hemisphere mastodons, the brutal islanders and 6 Nations monsters. Brave Blossoms is respect. Eddie Jones was the beginning of a great team.

One of the most amazing games I have ever seen in ANT team sport. A day when David did fell the giant Goliath. Extraordinary.

One of the best moment in our rugby history ❤️🏉

Springbok fan here … it hurt at the time but oddly in hindsight shortly after I was happy Japan won! Would crazily rather lose to them as opposed to ABs of England or and “first tier” nation - as a sports fan I love an underdog winning when they should have had no chance on paper! Love it! Even if we were the scalp this time! Congrats Japan for then - and for coming on in leaps and bounds since then! 2019 quarter finalists! Fantastic rise. Wishing for more Japanese players next time round as opposed to being propped up by foreigners though … but don’t worry - the British teams need South African and New Zealand players as well 😉

Even the Police and medical officers are watching the match!! Credit as well to South Africa who were magnificent in terms of being very gracious in defeat. Every one of them to a person congratulated Japan on being the better team on the day.

2023年の今見ても感動できます。ニュースを見てびっくりして起きたのを覚えています。奥さんに説明しても、事の重大さを理解して貰えませんでした。

As a New Zealander I really wanted Japan to do well at that World Cup. This game had me jumping up and down. I would have been happy if they had beaten the All Blacks...but I'm biased ...my Grandson is part Japanese.

These days, Japan, our country, is pessimistic about the future due to economic stagnation, declining birthrate and aging population, and various other problems, so many Japanese are losing confidence. However, as shown in this video, our country has worked hard, revived and prospered. This team reminded us of that bravery. May God bless Japan 🇯🇵

This final try changing Japanese Rugby destiny forever.

This is what I live about sport. Japan is not my team but I still shared tears of joy for them.

なんどでもこれを挙げてくれ！ その度に俺らは泣くから！！🇯🇵

俺はこの動画をあと何百回見るんだろう？ そして今後も全部涙するんだろうな

Hmmmm...you guys post NZ beating the Irish after the Ireland smashed NZ last weekend and now this before SA vs Eng this weekend. We see you World Rugby we see you.

「日本！日本！」っていう歓声から「JAPAN！JAPAN！」っていうコールに変わってったのが象徴的なまでの伝説の試合だった この時だけはラグビー界の主役は桜戦士だったね

2022 December, still watching this epic game. Thank you Japan. ❤

Epic moments of sports. That is the beauty of the moment. The Japanese team showed so much pride, mental strength. I eventually bought their jersey, such an extraordinary team.

Never get tired of watching this 👏👏👏👏

A lot of racist comments about members of the Japanese national rugby team. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Nobody mentions that Mtawarira was born in Zimbabwe. Eligibility is closely scrutinized. Stop looking for lame excuses for Japan’s historic win.

Unbelievable performance by Japan truly one of the great games in world rugby.

One of the greatest moments in sporting history

It obviously mattered to Japan, but to the rest of the world they had already won. One of the bravest calls I've ever seen in sport.

Games like this are so much better than watching a team get absolutely trampled. Seeing two titans so evenly matched is the best

The Hinomaru is the most beautiful ever この試合はたとえ、こけがむしきったとしても永遠に輝き続けるだろう

The moment when the rest of the entire rugby-loving world united in total joy. Never forget !!

Security guards going crazy with joy is always a good sign

One of the best games ever! As a South-African I was rooting for Japan! Never underestimate your opponent.

For an Englishman, this was the best result of the entire tournament! Lol. I simply mean it gave us all - as neutrals - something to really cheer.

Uno de los momentos más emocionantes de la historia del Rugby (para mí el mejor). Tremenda hazaña de Japón.

I was there on my Dad's 70th Birthday. I've watched numerous games at Twickenham over the years, but nothing topped the sheer balls of this Japan team doing this to the Boks.

This match is called ‘Brighton's miracle’ in Japan. I'm proud of Brave Blossoms, the Japanese national team for challenging Springboks, the strongest team in the world, instead of accepting a draw. Thanks to this miracle, rugby is now quite popular in Japan.

I was there working as a Steward while at uni placed right below Eddie Jones (didn't know who he was at the time). I was jumping and hugging Japanese fans in the stands after they scored the winner

I praise Japan for keeping there running and sweat mode on. Hence they had a mix of players.they were determined. 🎉🎉

Anything is possible when Eddie Jones is coaching. Great play by Japan.

A draw would have been one of the biggest upsets ever. The win is the biggest upset ever. Unbelievable bottle to go for the win AND pull it off

Love how excited the South African forward pack was when they said scrum, looked like a lot of respect given in that moment.

Still the best ever David vs Goliath story of rugby for all time.

I love how almost the entire audience turned pro Japan just to watch the game end in a dramatic way. One of the greatest victories in sports.

日本の誇り

One of the greatest moments in Rugby History.

What a crazy game that was going into it didn't think they stood a chance the game was going good but still for most of the game I expected South Africa to at some stage pull away and win comfortably enough so it's about 78 minutes played and Japan are only 5 meters from the south African try line when it hit me " OMFG they can actually win this " it was incredible how instead of taking the draw they had the belief and confidence in their team to play for the win this set up one of the most famous tries in the games history seeing that last pass and looking at the field position realising that they were gonna score on the last phase and win the game was incredible man did I go nuts when they scored that try best game of rugby I've ever seen

World rugby and their timely uploads👀

世界のスポーツ史で見てもトップレベルの番狂わせ。リアルタイムで見れて良かった。ラグビーが好きで良かった。

After the final whistle, the Springboks players seemed like they've seen a ghost, shocked A day Japanese rugby fans will never forget

7 years later and I still can't stop the tears welling. Even after what they nios did to my friends father.

Still watching this over and over again❤ Japanese team did a great job in 2019. Lets see how brave blossoms go this year's world cup😊

Even today this is so moving and a wonderful moment in rugby

Rugby is a beautiful sport ,made for all shapes and sizes. Just wish more countries will play it seriously.The reason rugby tops soccer for me is after 90plus mins of soccer all you have to DO is close off a few feet goal area and its a draw 0 - 0. In rugby the ENTIRE BACK LINE IS THE GOAL AREA. NO 0 -0 DRAWS.

何度見ても泣ける！

Este partidazo va a quedar para la historia de los japoneses!, un equipo chico le gano a un equipo grande , le gano a un titan!, hasta yo no me lo olvido mas!, otro que quedara para la historia es el de cuando la argentina le gano a nueva zelanda!!! Muchas gracias por el video , saludos desde Argentina - tucuman.

Fue histórico... Japón tumbando al gigante sudafricano.... ése banzai japonés de puerta o enfermería es ya historia del deporte mundial!

Looking at this again today...24 September 2023. This will stay in the history books forever. Japan beats the Springboks. Hendrik Venter from Pretoria South-Africa

Still love this game

2023 World Cup is on and this pops up in my feed. Wonderful.

5:28 I hope he put that contact lens in a trophy case

6 years later still the most amazing highlight in the world of rugby. Close second is France upsetting the All Blacks in WC 1999

Yo lo vi en vivo. El espíritu samurai. Japón gano el partido cuando no acepto el empate.

I remember in the 80s as a boy watching Japan get beaten by the All Blacks, sometimes a hundred - nil, and wonder why they played. This is an amazing victory against a top side! One of the great things about rugby is the history. Its so meaningful knowing what they've been through and how far they've come. Their future looks even better

Wow! Rugby truly is the winner on the day Japan beath South Africa and Fiji beat Australia!!!!! Woohoo!!!!

Love the passion and support of Japanese fans in every sport.

Love how the final minute took 6minutes to finish

Truly one of the greatest ever sporting moments. The emotion on the faces of those spectators...

Why post this today?? Nobody does a throwback to some six years and a month ago. You guys are just fueling the springboks' fire.

Congratulations Japan, amazing game! Greetings from Uruguay 🇺🇾

Japan's coming out party as a Rugby heavyweight and emergence as a fan favourite. They played an exciting brand of Rugby with a fitness level that broke SA. One of the greatest sports moments in history, period.

So proud of the SA fans and the respect they showed to the Japanese fans after this match. This was the most emotionally devastating blow ever to Springbok fans yet they stood back at the stations and allowed Japanese fans to board 1st under applause.

Beautiful... Unforgettable... 🇿🇦🩷🇯🇵

still brings tears to my eyes everytime i watch this

3:06 I think he said , Gambare ! ,stick with it!

I had friends over that night, and they just arrived, one-by-one, as the game drew to a conclusion. By the final try, we were all in the living room and cheered like our respective nations had won the final, hugging and cheering, and then broke into “WHO ARE YA WHO ARE YA!” as South Africa walked off. A truly mesmerising night, probably because none of us expected it. We’d just come out for a takeaway 😂😂😂😂

6 years later and as a South African, I can tell you this still hurts 😢. And now and again RU-vid will just randomly decide to remind me. Like an unexpected sucker punch to the gut out of nowhere.

Dear RU-vid, I want to be able to click a MILLION THUMBS UP. Please make that option available. Sincerely, Al

Interesting timing of this video by WR. Not surprised though. We know who runs WR..

Simply amazing to watch, I'm more of a rugby league than union fan and this day i was doing a little voluntary role at my local grassroots rugby league team but got home and watched the last 20m of this game, the three of us were going out for some tea but i insisted we wait till the end because it was such a gripping finale to the game. Japan showed a proper do or die mentality to it and so deserved the victory

The shot of that Japanese man holding the flag in disbelief turns me from a big man into complete mush in an instance.

This is SA in this world cup, as they have 100% played their best - game over now.....see you in 4 years

World Rugby want it to be personal, Rugby is always great when its PERSONAL BUT IN A GREEN AN GOLD JERSEY !!