New Zealand celebrate MacDonald's try. (Getty Images)

By Alex Lowe, PA Sport, Melbourne

South Africa team manager Gideon Sam pre-empted the vicious backlash that will inevitably follow South Africa's elimination from the World Cup by calling for those in the "corridors of Newlands" to stick by head coach Rudolph Straeuli.

South African journalists were immediately calling for Straeuli to fall on his sword after New Zealand condemned the Springboks to quarter-final elimination - their worst World Cup showing.

South Africa's campaign has been dogged by constant references to the racist allegations made by former media manager Mark Keohane on the eve of the tournament.

"Let's start by saying it has been a real tough one for us before we actually got here," said Sam.

"The youth in this team is exciting, but we would be foolish back home if we were to chop and change. What we need to do as a country is to have some stability in our rugby.

"I would urge all our rugby supporters back home to get it into their minds that if we really want to get into the top of world rugby, stability is unquestionable.

"I plead to our management and supporters - the time has come to say, 'let's have stability once and for all and see what will happen in the future'.

"It is clear what has happened here, on and off the field, we have a great team. I can only plead with management at the top level - give them a chance to build so that in the future we can be a respected nation."

When Straeuli replaced Harry Viljoen he was incredibly the ninth Springbok coach in 11 years.

"There are people who take it very emotionally. Instead of people sitting down and looking exactly what the problem is they start targeting individuals," said Sam.

"Instead of saying to the coach, 'give us a plan for the next three or four years' and giving it all their support - that doesn't exist.

"People are turning round and saying 'I told you so'. This is not right, then you are back at square one - the new coach loses the Tri-Nations and you say 'that's it, go and find someone else'.

"Let's settle down, give him the chance and let's see what happens'.

"You look at his plans over the last 18 months. He started from scratch and if he had had 25 months it would have been a better job."

Straeuli must now face the King Commission inquiry into Keohane's claims, contained in a 12,000-word dossier.

The issue was brought to a head following allegations that lock Geo Cronje refused to share a room with black team-mate Quinton Davids.

Neither made the World Cup squad and Cronje was cleared following an initial investigation because of inconclusive evidence but the subsequent publication of Keohane's dossier forced South African rugby to set up the inquiry.

Straeuli referred to the hearing as "unfinished business" and would not be drawn on his own plans for the future, saying he did not want to give an emotional reaction.

Sam did not expect anything new to emerge from the hearing and urged the management to take the broader view - look at the causes not the effects.

"The coach must prepare all his documents and present it to the board and it is up to the board to see what it will do over it," said Sam, who is a staunch anti-apartheid activist.

"There is nothing new in a South African context. It's a nation which comes with all its baggage from the past with racism and so on."

The Springboks spoke all week of how the upheavals and allegations had made them a stronger, more dangerous unit - a point acknowledged by All Blacks coach John Mitchell.

He paid special tribute to his pack, who stamped New Zealand's authority on the game by starving South Africa of ball and territory to book a semi-final showdown with Australia.

"It was always going to be a grind for a long time. We knew we were going to be in a contest," said Mitchell, who felt the Springboks had come a long way since the 52-16 Tri-Nations trashing at Loftus Versfeld.

"We believed we were up against a better South African team than we had experienced during the year.

"There is nothing better as a New Zealander than playing the Springboks. It's the greatest experience in the world. For us as coaches it is also very special. There is something unique about it."