ST JAMES' PARK, Newcastle -- Scotland might have been battered by a brutal South Africa, but the real losers from Saturday's Pool B action were Japan. The Brave Blossoms kicked off the day with another sensational victory over an established rugby nation, seeing off Samoa 26-5 in Milton Keynes, but the Springboks' victory in Newcastle means everyone's favourite minnows are staring at an pool-stage exit.

The Springboks were stunned by Japan on the opening weekend of the tournament, but against Scotland they showed once again that they are a mean machine with plenty of punch. While they lacked an attacking spark, the southern hemisphere giants bullied the Scots off the St James' Park turf and now just have to dispatch the lowly USA on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals.

Scotland didn't have the power to take on the monstrous South African side, but head coach Vern Cotter had made his goal obvious before kick-off. Cotter fielded an understrength XV with one eye on the final pool clash with Samoa. Victory over the Pacific Islanders, coupled with their earlier bonus-point wins against Japan and the USA, will put them into the last eight again, having missed out on such progress in the last World Cup.

Spare a thought, then, for Japan. They thumped Samoa in the first match of a stellar day of World Cup action, a penalty try and a score from Akihito Yamada ensuring the clash was won by half-time. However, the failure to secure a bonus point leaves them on eight points, with Scotland on 10 and South Africa top on 11. Put simply, it means wins for South Africa and Scotland puts those nations through, regardless of what Japan achieve in their final match against the USA. They will be relying on others to perform upsets similar in magnitude to their own if they are to qualify for the quarters.

The South Africans will always have that Japan defeat hanging over them in this tournament, but they wheeled out their big guns to blow Scotland off the park in Newcastle. The opening 10 minutes set the tone for the first half, with South Africa setting up camp in the Scottish half. They were relentless in the tackle and thriving off crash ball in attack, with lock Eben Etzebeth and centre Damian de Allende battering the Scottish line. The tackles were eye-watering and the sight of wing JP Pietersen hauling down Scottish hooker Fraser Brown would set the tone for the opening 40 minutes.

JP Pietersen celebrates scoring South Africa's try © Getty Images

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South Africa's opening try came after just 12 minutes as referee Nigel Owens went upstairs to check the first real attempt on the Scotland tryline. The TMO liked what he saw and awarded Schalk Burger the score, seeing that he had grounded the ball despite Scottish knees and elbows offering plenty of resistance. Boos rang out around St James' Park, but in truth Scotland were lucky not to have conceded earlier when Pietersen slipped with the tryline at his mercy.

As is the way with unforgiving Springboks, Jannie du Plessis was warned several times about flying into the breakdown without his arms. On the third time, Owens had had enough and the South African prop was off to the sin bin. No matter though, as yet another Springbok lineout win led to a rolling maul, a tactic they use to world class effect. When the maul came down, all that was left was for Fourie du Preez to spin a pass inside to JP Pietersen, who flew over for the Springboks' second.

To their credit, Scotland came out for the second half with a renewed sense of urgency and managed a try of their own. The second half then descended into a bitty, stop-start affair, with both sides thumping each other in defence and Scotland losing captain Greig Laidlaw to the sin bin after a cynical challenge on Bryan Habana. It was Habana who gave the Springboks something to cheer about with their third try, ending the contest as he smashed over in the right corner.

South Africa are far from the finished product. For all their physicality, they lack the little bit of magic that will see them beating the world's best. They were too nasty for Scotland, who were shell-shocked in the first-half and too far behind to fight back in the second, but they will struggle to do the same to their likely quarterfinal opponents -- one of England, Australia or Wales. Scotland left the field bruised but knowing the biggest match of their lives awaits. The clash with Samoa next Saturday will define Cotter's side.