IT is the photo that has been described as the image of the Rugby World Cup.

At the full-time whistle on Saturday after a last ditch Karne Hesketh try secured a Japanese victory over South Africa, a Springbok fan was snapped congratulating his counterpart in the crowd.

Johann Delport set off to Brighton Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon ready to cheer his beloved Springboks to victory.

With 20 minutes left, he had turned his South Africa shirt inside-out and was cheering for the opposition, and ended the day in a Japan shirt.

He said: “What a day Saturday was, and then I woke up Sunday morning and I was all over the world.

“I noticed him as soon as week took our seats in his scrumcap and he had his daughter in one arm, rugby ball in the other – he was say about ten seats down and a row away from us.

“So at the end of the game he was stood up crying and I just had to go over and give him a hug to congratulate him.

“And now I’m trying really hard to find that Japanese supporter.

“In the last 20 minutes, I was cheering for Japan because their supporters were just so fantastic.

“I was disappointed that we’d lost, obviously, but I was just so overwhelmed and pleased for the Japanese supporters.

“I ended up running up and down the stadium giving people hugs.

“Afterwards everybody was mixing with each other and South Africans were congratulating the Japanese, people were walking around together and it just typified what rugby is about.”

The picture has gone viral on social media described as an image that sums up rugby.

Mr Delport, who is a rugby referee covering Sussex, said: “I woke up at about 9.30am on Sunday morning to a notification on Facebook from one of my friends in New Zealand.

“We usually rip into each other about the rugby, so I expected it to be him just giving me grief about the result, but he said, “You’re famous, mate”.

“Apparently it was all over New Zealand and it’s gone a little bit crazy.

“I had to turn my phone off Sunday night because my notifications were going through the roof.”

It was not the only gesture to capture the world’s attention on the day either.

South African fans arriving into Brighton station from the stadium insisted the Japanese supporters got off first and gave them a guard of honour.

It’s put Brighton and Hove on the rugby world map, and Mr Delport said the stadium played a huge part.

He added: “I was completely astounded by the stadium.

“It’s very well thought out and it’s as if you’re out there on the pitch. I can’t understand how they’ve made it so you are so close to the action.

“It’s up there with the best stadiums in the world for me, just as good as the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.”

Mr Delport wants to be re-united with the Japanese supporter, so if you know him, contact gareth.davies@theargus.co.uk