Cape Town - A bitter Jake White has announced that he is to quit as coach of South Africa's World Cup winning rugby team, accusing Springbok bosses of bouncing him out of the job.

White, who has been linked with coaching positions with rival national sides, said he would take the team to Britain next month for matches against Wales and his swansong against the multinational Barbarians on December 1.

"The match against the Barbarians at Twickenham will be my last as Springbok coach," White told reporters at a press conference in Cape Town.

"I walk away with no regrets but plenty of sadness."

White was "extremely disappointed" to have been informed via email that he would not be considered for a new contract after he failed to reapply for his job, claiming that he should not have had to put his hand up, and said he had not been given adequate time to consider his position.

"My contract as Springbok coach is clear, that I was not obliged to apply and that all considerations would be discussed at my annual review (in December when his current deal expires)," he said. "I did ask for time to consider my options as I was mindful of making a wrong decision based on emotion. This time was not afforded me and that is particularly disappointing."

Sigh another couch for England ftl?

By Jacques van der Westhuyzen

His last Springbok squad was announced on Wednesday night, but there is an outside chance retiring national coach Jake White will not even be afforded the chance to parade his world beaters in Wales and England at the end of this month.

With White saying last week he was done with coaching the Boks come December 31 - the day his contract expires - it now seems certain administrators in South African rugby will push to get the Bok coach to stand down before he takes them on his farewell tour.

The Boks are set to face Wales in Cardiff on November 24 and the Barbarians in London on December 1.




South Africa's main decision-makers - the notorious Presidents Council - meet in Johannesburg on Thursday and while White's name doesn't appear on the agenda for the meeting, his role over the next month is sure to be raised.

Many rugby administrators are seemingly angry with White after his slamming of the rugby fraternity when he announced his retirement last week.

Some officials are also believed to want White out before his autobiography In Black and White hits the shelves next week.

Should a motion to sack White be accepted by the Council today (Thursday), the Boks will tour to the UK with either Allister Coetzee or Gert Smal - his assistant coaches - in charge.

A new fulltime coach - one of Coetzee, Heyneke Meyer, Peter de Villiers and Chester Williams - will not have been appointed by the time the Boks depart for Wales next Friday.

"Jake's position is not on the agenda and I can't say what will and won't be raised at the meeting," said Saru president and chairperson of the Presidents Council, Oregan Hoskins, on Wednesday.

"I don't want to pre-empt the meeting, but we'll be guided by the decision of the Council."

The process to appoint a successor to White will receive further discussion today (Thursday) with the interviewing process of the four candidates set to start at the end of the month.

Sharks boss Dick Muir's late indication that he is interested in the Bok job is likely to be turned down.

"If we want to create problems for ourselves it'll be to allow Dick's application to go through at this time," said an official.

"If we allowed this, we would open the door for a number of others to also apply now, including Jake."

Saru deputy president Mike Stofile also told rugby365.com it was unlikely Muir would be considered: "The process is closed and only the (President's) Council can make a call on that," he said.

The controversial matter of overseas-based players in future not being eligible for the Bok selection is also expected to be raised today (Thursday), but there is unlikely to be any finality on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Council looks set to put in motion a move to merge South Africa's two rugby bodies - the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and the company, SA Rugby Pty (Ltd).

The Star has learned the idea was heavily debated at last week's indaba in Pretoria.