Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi stood down with immediate effect

The Springboks have now officially confirmed the late changes, with Paul de Villiers and Cameron Hanekom promoted into the starting XV.

Pieter-Steph du Toit will captain the world champions in Kolisi’s absence, while Ben-Jason Dixon has been drafted onto the bench.

The loss of Kolisi and Etzebeth represents a major setback for the Springboks ahead of Saturday evening’s showdown with England at Ellis Park.

Both men are among South Africa’s most experienced and influential players, leaving the hosts without two of their biggest leaders for the Nations Championship opener.

Based on estimated annual earnings, the following list highlights the five highest-paid players in the game today, showcasing how commercial power now rivals performance across the professional era.

Maro Itoje is estimated to earn around £800,000 per year at Saracens, with his overall package boosted by his RFU contract.

The England and British & Irish Lions captain is one of the biggest names in the global game, with his combined earnings believed to push his total annual package close to the £1 million mark.

Itoje has spent his entire senior club career with Saracens, winning multiple Premiership and European titles while establishing himself as one of the leading forwards of his generation.

The second-row remains a central figure for both club and country and captained the British & Irish Lions during their 2025 tour of Australia.

Cheslin Kolbe is estimated to earn around £930,000 per year as a star player for Tokyo Sungoliath in Japan Rugby League One. However, reports suggest he may have accepted a reduced salary ahead of his return to South Africa.

The winger is set to join the DHL Stormers next season, where player salaries are generally lower than those on offer in Japan.

Kolbe played a pivotal role in South Africa's Rugby World Cup victories in 2019 and 2023, including scoring one of the standout tries in the 2019 final.

Richie Mo'unga earns an estimated $2 million per season, equivalent to around £1.04 million, while playing for Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo in Japan Rugby League One.

Like Kolbe, Mo'unga has confirmed he will return home, rejoining the Crusaders in New Zealand.

The opportunity to become eligible for All Blacks selection again is thought to have influenced his decision, with reports suggesting he has accepted a lower salary to make the move.

For now, he remains third on this list.

Finn Russell is reported to earn around £1.2 million annually at Bath Rugby following a lucrative contract extension. That deal makes him the highest-paid player in the Prem and one of the top earners in world rugby.

The Scotland fly-half has also joined Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Talent Agency, a move that could further boost his commercial earning potential.

Russell will miss this weekend's match against Argentina as he continues to recover from a calf injury that also ruled him out of Bath's Gallagher Prem semi-final defeat to Exeter Chiefs.

Antoine Dupont has reinforced his status as rugby's biggest star by signing a four-year contract extension with Toulouse, keeping him at the club until 2031.

The agreement extends his previous deal, which ran until 2027, and is reportedly worth around £1.2 million per season. That figure makes the France captain the highest-paid player in world rugby.

By the end of the contract, Dupont will be 34 years old and could have featured in two more Rugby World Cups. Given his global profile and marketability, a lucrative move abroad, potentially to Japan, would not be a surprise once his time at Toulouse eventually comes to an end.

Can you name the 20 most capped men’s rugby players of all-time? From All Blacks legends to Lions icons, only true rugby experts will get full marks.