Rassie Erasmus’ elimination of some experienced Springboks has already begun, according to a report, with the head coach ousting three Rugby World Cup winners.

South Africa have won back-to-back World Cups but, to achieve an unprecedented treble, they understand that there must be team evolution.

The core of the team that won the title in 2019 remained four years later, but the majority were on the wrong side of 30 when they beat the All Blacks 12-11 in the 2023 final.

Continuity

Erasmus therefore knows that he must undergo an overhaul with a view to Australia in 2027, even if since this triumph in France, he has generally opted for continuity.

Most, if not all, of the experienced players remained and this contributed to The Springboks 2024 results as they drew Ireland in the July series and won their first Rugby Championship since 2019.

However, rather instructively, the head coach has started to bring in younger individuals, with Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Elrigh Louw and Ruan Nortje getting bigger roles in the 23.

Scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse is another player who stood out late in the competition and is a player Erasmus could invest a lot more time in, particularly with Faf de Klerk outside in the cold.

According to ReportDe Klerk is one of three World Cup winners whose head coach has decided are not part of the Boks’ plans, with Trevor Nyakane and Jean Kleyn joining him on that list.

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While the trio hasn’t been completely ousted, they are now only seen as options in an injury crisis. The names of Nyakane and Kleyn are perhaps unsurprising, especially given the strength of the front five, but De Klerk is a high-profile omission.

The halfback has been a key cog for the Springboks under Erasmus and he started in the World Cup finals in 2019 and 2023.

Injury

De Klerk also played against Ireland in the July series, but missed the Rugby Championship with a thigh problem.

There were fears it was an injury that could rule him out of the remainder of 2024, but Report says he recovered more quickly than expected.

His absence is therefore purely selective, Erasmus opting for Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach and Grant Williams as three scrum halves.

They will be competing for places in South Africa’s end-of-year 23s where they will face Scotland, England and Wales.

The Boks start at Murrayfield before facing a difficult six-day delay for the clash against the Red Rose at Twickenham.

Erasmus’ men then finish with what appears to be an easier match against the Welsh, a country they have beaten 41-13 and 52-16 in their last two meetings.

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