JOHANNESBURG (DPA) - Thousands of ecstatic fans joined South Africa's Springboks rugby team in celebrating their World Cup victory on Thursday (Nov 7), kicking off five days of victory parades around the country.

"These are our warriors. They went to war, they won and they brought the trophy back to South Africa, where it belongs," President Cyril Ramaphosa told cheering fans and the players at the Union Buildings, the seat of government in the capital Pretoria.

Ramaphosa told the crowd about how he met with the team right before they took on England in the World Cup final in Japan.

He related how coach Rassie Erasmus was "shaking like a leaf" and other players expressed nervousness.

"I knew they were lying to me," Ramaphosa said. "They were telling me lies because as I shook their hands and I looked into their eyes, I just saw victory written all over their eyes."

The team went on to win 32-12. Ramaphosa thanked them for helping to unite South Africa and lift people's spirits.

The team's first black captain, Siyamthanda 'Siya' Kolisi, said they had learnt that "the most important thing is the country, is the Springbok badge in front of our chest, not our own ambitions".

The team proceeded on Thursday to ride through Pretoria on an open-top bus to greet and present the trophy to fans of all ages and races who thronged the streets cheering, dancing and waiving South African flags.

The players will also visit Johannesburg and the township of Soweto on Thursday. Further parades are foreseen in Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth before the "trophy tour" ends in Cape Town on Monday.