As the Springboks head towards the 2025 season, there is undoubtedly going to be an increasing element of strategising around the squad with a long-term plan focused on the 2027 World Cup.

Already last year as many as 50 players were used by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus as he blooded a number of exciting youngsters, and the plan is to do the same again this year.

As many as 15 players from the 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning squad will be 35 or older by the time the next global showpiece rolls around, and so Erasmus undoubtedly has quite the balancing act to perform in terms of blending experience with a necessary injection of youth.

During a press conference this week, Erasmus confirmed that there was some real consideration being given to succession planning and keeping player ages in mind.

The good news is that the majority of the 2023 World Cup-winning squad shouldn’t be deemed ‘too old’ to make it to the title defence in 2027, but it is fair to say that there will be a changing of the guard for some key players and positions.

Which Springboks could begin to make way in 2025?

Faf de Klerk

The Springboks’ blonde-haired dynamo is now 33-years-old, and although he is far from finished, it is highly likely that scrumhalf is one position that will need an injection of youth. With the likes of Jaden Hendrikse, Grant Williams and Morne van den Berg all receiving opportunities last year, it’s likely that this handing over of the ‘baton’ will continue in 2025.

Makazole Mapimpi

Although the flying wing is still in great shape, even he has admitted that it’s highly unlikely he’d make it through to the next World Cup. It’s quite likely that this year will see the 34-year-old begin to move more into a mentorship, back up role.

Willie le Roux 

The Springbok stalwart is set to reach 100 caps this year, and what a deserved achievement that will be. However, it’s understandable that the 35-year-old will primarily begin to play a mentorship role to the likes of Aphelele Fassi and Damian Willemse.

Trevor Nyakane

The 35-year-old is recovering from a serious injury, and it’s already been confirmed that he won’t be available this season. Unfortunately it does seem that the powerhouse prop’s days in the green and gold are behind him.

Cobus Reinach

The speedster has just turned 35, and although he doesn’t seem to really be slowing down, time does wait for no one. The Springboks will know it’s highly unlikely that he will make it to the next World Cup at the age of 37, and so this season will see opportunities continue to be shared with the ‘next gen’.

Vincent Koch

There is no doubt that props can generally play quite comfortably into their mid-30s, but Koch is about to turn 35-years-old and so – with the next World Cup in mind – it’s highly probable that he will most likely begin to play more of a back-up role this season.

Extra note: *Frans Malherbe (33-years-old)/Bongi Mbonambi (34-years-old)/Franco Mostert (34-years-old)

When it comes to the likes of Malherbe, Mbonambi and Mostert, this will be a big season to determine whether they can make a case to make it through to the next World Cup, or whether they too could begin to see their game-time start to diminish.

Addressing the topic of player’s ages and succession planning, Rassie Erasmus did make some interesting comments this week.

“In the past, we never looked for the World Cup in our planning,” he began.

“We’re actually doing it a little bit now; people are starting to put brackets with ages next to the players’ names, we do it as well for our succession planning. We’re thinking we know when some players are going to give up or will no longer be able to keep up anymore.

“But you can’t plan a guy’s career just around a World Cup, because if he’s still good enough and he’s still number one, two or three in his position, but he might retire in 2026, it would be very unfair not to pick him anymore just because his career ends in 2026.

“So, it’s a bit of both. If you look at that squad depth, or chart and succession planning, I think there’s a nice spread of older guys in a red column, amber guys between 25 and 30 and guys who are 25 and younger.

“I think there’s a nice spread of guys who are 84 in total.”

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Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/springboks/which-springboks-will-be-phased-out-in-2025/