A late try from Karne Hesketh has given Japan a shock 34-32 victory over South Africa in the Rugby World Cup this evening.

Japan struck the first blow in the tie, with Ayumu Goromaru stroking over after being fouled by Zane Kirchner.

South Africa responded with an 18th-minute try from Francois Louw, Patrick Lambie converting the flanker's score to give the Springboks a four-point lead.

Japan went back in front after 30 minutes, a driving maul towards the South Africa line resulting in captain Michael Leitch touching down, Goromaru converting again to make it 10-7 to Eddie Jones's side.

The Springboks responded almost straight away as hooker Bismarck du Plessis replicated Leitch's efforts by using the maul to good effect before jumping over the line for his side's second try, the 10th of his career.

Lambie failed to add the extra two points from the boot, meaning Heyneke Meyer's men took a 12-10 lead into half time.

Japan struck first in the second period, Goromaru making up for his first-half penalty miss by splitting the posts after Tendai Mtawarira was caught offside.

South Africa once again responded immediately, lock Lodewyk de Jager sprinting away from the Japanese defence to touch down and hand Lambie a relatively easy conversion attempt, the fly-half making no mistake.

Goromaru kept Japan in touch with another penalty to make it a three-point game after 48 minutes, before the same man levelled the scores moments later with another penalty kick.

The favourites restored their lead with a Lambie penalty after Mtawrira was tackled late, before Japan responded through Goromaru with another penalty.

South Africa looked to be pulling away on 63 minutes, as Adriaan Strauss sidestepped Kotaro Matsushima before scoring a try, which Handre Pollard converted to give the Springboks a nine-point lead.

Japan pegged their opponents back on 69 minutes though, as Goromaru ran to the corner to score his side's second try, before converting to level the scores.

The Springboks moved into the lead again moments later, as Pollard was brought down illegally. The substitute took the penalty and scored, to give South Africa a three-point lead.

With one minute remaining Coenraad Oosthuizen received a yellow card for an illegal tackle on Takeshi Kizu, and with their one-man advantage Japan thought they had scored a try as their maul crossed the line, but the television match official ruled against it.

Five minutes after regulation time Japan snatched victory from 14-man South Africa, as Hesketh scored a try at the left corner for a 34-32 victory.