Veteran Victor Matfield is one player sure to earn a few weeks' rest © Getty Images

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The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has reached a landmark agreement with its five Super Rugby franchises which will see many top Springboks rested during the provincial tournament.

SARU has followed the lead of its New Zealand counterparts in an attempt to "manage" the workload of South Africa's top players ahead of this year's Rugby World Cup. New Zealand Rugby set-up its policy last year but it's taken until the eleventh hour for SARU to reach a similar agreement with management at the Bulls, Cheetahs Lions, Sharks and Stormers.

While there is no apparent limit on the number of matches some Springboks will sit out, the "resting periods" will exclude any Super Rugby play-off matches and bye weeks while one of the key stipulations is that no player will play five consecutive matches.

"We are extremely grateful to the Vodacom Super Rugby franchises for agreeing to assist in ensuring our key players' game time is managed in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup," SARU chief executive Jurie Roux said.

"It's wonderful to know we have the support and cooperation of the franchises as the Springboks prepare for the Rugby World Cup and we'd like to wish them all the best for the forthcoming months of Vodacom Super Rugby.

"It's a massive year for rugby and we're confident that our franchises can set the tone for the 2015 season by being competitive from the word go as the players aim to impress the national selectors to make it to the Rugby World Cup."

SARU also announced the appointment of leading sports psychologist Professor Pieter Kruger to the Springboks staff for 2015. Kruger has worked all over the world and assisted teams such as the Brumbies and Harlequins (UK), as well as football giants Arsenal and Chelsea.

Kruger spoke exclusively to ESPN last year, discussing the mental effects resulting from the southern hemisphere's dominance of its northern counterparts, and the best ways in which to face down the All Blacks' haka.