Bok bombshell: Star players Pollard, Am ruled out of 2023 Rugby World Cup as Kolisi returns

What was expected to be a relatively serene and uneventful Springbok squad announcement turned into an exercise marred by the exclusion of three key players.

South Africa will be jetting off to France on Saturday without first-choice flyhalf Handre Pollard, midfield maestro Lukhanyo Am and line-out technician Lood de Jager in what represents a huge blow to the team's collective leadership as well as on-field poise and potency.

Fullback: Willie le Roux

Utility back: Damian Willemse

Wings:  Canan Moodie, Cheslin Kolbe, Makazole Mapimpi, Kurt-Lee Arendse

Centres: Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende

Flyhalves: Manie Libbok

Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach

Props: Vincent Koch, Ox Nche, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Steven Kitshoff

Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx

Locks: Marvin Orie, RG Snyman, Jean Kleyn, Eben Etzebeth

Loose forwards: Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi

Utility forwards:  Deon Fourie, Franco Mostert

On the bright side, Siya Kolisi will captain the squad, however, as he's expected to be fit for the tournament.

Pollard had been under an injury cloud for the duration of the build-up following a calf injury he sustained on club duty for Leicester in England.

He then aggravated the problem in the national camp.

Meanwhile, the Am and De Jager blows are frustrating because they weren't foreseen.

The former, the Boks' key midfielder and defensive organiser, had started in last weekend's victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires, but was hit on his knee during the first half and promptly withdrawn after half-time.

Scans on Monday revealed he wasn't fit enough to get into