And coach Rufolf Straeuli has warned that players will not be selected for the World Cup if they step out of line during the forthcoming Super 12 tournament.

Springbok lock Jannes Labuschagne was sent off for a late challenge on England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson during his side's record 53-3 thrashing at Twickenham.

If a player wants to play that way then he will be sitting at home while everyone else is getting ready for the World Cup SA Rugby boss Rian Oberholzer

Television footage after the game also highlighted 11 cases of foul play from captain Corne Krige, plus incidents involving full-back Werner Greeff and centre Robbie Fleck.

Krige's actions went unpunished, and Greef was cleared of any wrong-doing after he was cited by French match commissioner Paul Mauriac for a high tackle on Phil Christophers.

"We have dealt with the discipline side. It was unacceptable," said Straeuli, who did not name the players who had been punished.

"We have called those individual players in and we have dealt with them in-house.

"The players know they will be watched during the Super 12, and any indiscipline from them and they know they won't be going to the World Cup."

Straeuli was reluctant to explain what might have caused the breakdown in discipline but said: "Some of it was retaliation and some of it was frustration. But it's unacceptable in rugby."

Embarrassed

Rian Oberholzer, managing director of SA Rugby - the professional arm of the game in South Africa - said the action would serve as an example to other players.

"The message will go out to all players in South Africa that we cannot afford to be embarrassed as we were at the end of last year," he said.

"If a player wants to play that way then he must know that he will be sitting at home playing in the Currie Cup while everyone else is getting ready for the World Cup."

South Africa face a rematch with England in a World Cup Pool C match in Perth on 18 October.