Johann van Graan has emerged as potentially the sole survivor from Heyneke Meyer’s coaching team.

According to Rapport, Van Graan, who was the forwards and attack coach during Meyer’s tenure, is the only member of the former coaching group who will remain contracted to Saru.

Saru is in the midst of an intensive ongoing process to identify and appoint a replacement for Meyer, with an announcement expected to be made at the end of March.

Although Van Graan appears set to receive a stay of execution, John McFarland (defence), Ricardo Loubscher (backs) and Pieter de Villiers (scrum) are not expected to have their contracts renewed.

However, De Villiers remains part of Saru’s coaching mobi-unit – the brain child of Rassie Erasmus – and could still have a role to play with the Boks going forward.

Signs increasingly point to the fact that Erasmus is also set for a role in the new coaching set-up, perhaps working in tandem with widely-touted favourite Allister Coetzee.

Saru took the decision not to open the Bok position to applications, with Saru CEO Jurie Roux driving the process of recruitment, with a final recommendation then set to be tabled for approval when the general council next meets in March.

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Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images