South Africa fly-half Handre Pollard says South Africa are playing for Jean de Villiers after the Springboks captain was forced to retire due to injury.

Heyneke Meyer's men climbed to the top of Rugby World Cup Pool B with a 34-16 victory over Scotland on Saturday, sending them into their final fixture against United States with a one-point cushion at the summit.

A bonus-point victory over USA on Wednesday would see them become the first team to qualify out of their pool - a far cry from the humiliating defeat to Japan that got their campaign off to a miserable start.

And Pollard, who kicked 19 of his side's points at St James' Park, says De Villiers can remain the driving force behind South Africa'S World Cup challenge despite calling time on his international career after suffering a fractured jaw against Samoa.

"It was very disappointing," Pollard told Omnisport. "Jean is such a great guy, such a great captain and an unbelievable player.

"You don't get to 109 Test matches just by pitching up.

"He's going to be sorely missed - especially his captaincy - but the job is in our hands, we've got to go and do it now."

South Africa showed glimpses of what they were capable of against Scotland - particularly with a typically dominant first-half showing - and Pollard is now able to reflect on the Japan defeat as "probably a good thing" and a necessary "kick up the behind".

Asked whether the Springboks were finding form at the right time, Pollard added: "I would say so, yes.

"I don't think it's a matter of clicking, I just think it's just a case of going back - we know we're at our best when we play Springbok rugby."