Siya Kolisi credits Rassie Erasmus for South Africa's World Cup triumph

South Africa skipper Siya Kolisi has credited head coach and director of rugby Rassie Erasmus for his side's World Cup triumph in Japan.

The Springboks looked positive from outset and after early exchanges between Handre Pollard and Owen Farrell, tries from Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe ensured they completed a 12-32 victory at International Stadium Yokohama.

The result also means South Africa have joined New Zealand in most World Cup titles won after previously emerging victorious in the 1995 and 2007 editions.

Praising Erasmus for the turnaround, Kolisi, who is the first black player to captain the team, expressed delight over his side's title triumph.

"Since I have been alive I have never seen South Africa like this," Kolisi said.

"With all the challenges we have, the coach said to us that we are not playing for ourselves anymore, we are playing for the people back home, and that is what we wanted to do.

"We appreciate all the support - people in the taverns, in the shebeens, farms, homeless people and people in the rural areas.

"I honestly can't explain how I was feeling, seeing the joy in my team-mates' faces, as I know how hard they have worked and the coaches have worked.

"We had to believe in each other and believe in the plan. He (Erasmus) kept telling us how good we are and he drove us to places we have never been before."