Straeuli took over as South Africa coach in April last year

The 40-year-old came under pressure after details emerged about the players' ordeal at a gruelling boot camp in preparation for the World Cup.

The Springboks also failed to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.

"Negotiations have begun between South African Rugby Union (Sarfu) and Rudolf for him to stand down," a senior rugby official told The Cape Times newspaper.

Straeuli will face Sarfu officials on Thursday when he will present a World Cup report which will include details of the controversial "Camp Steel Wire."

Naked Springboks tested at camp

The three-day pre-World Cup "bonding" reportedly involved players having to strip off and pump up rugby balls in a freezing lake.

The 30-man squad were also said to have been told to climb into a foxhole, where recordings of the English national anthem and New Zealand's haka, or war-chant, were played.

Ice-cold water was then occasionally poured over their heads.

The boot camp has been universally criticised in South Africa.

South African sports minister Ngconde Balfour said: "This was apartheid-style military training and was dehumanising for the players."