Former Springboks coach Jake White has emerged as a possible replacement for under-fire Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Rugby Australia (RA) has come under increased pressure to ditch Cheika, whose side have lost nine of their 13 tests in 2018 - the Wallabies' worst year of the professional era - as they ended the year with a deplorable 31 percent winning record.
White, who is coaching Toyota Verblitz in Japan, guided South Africa to glory at the 2007 World Cup in France, where they beat England 15-6 in the final.
On thursday, RA chief executive Raelene Castle and fellow board members will speak to the 54-year-old via a phone hook-up to test the waters, should they opt to sack Cheika.
Cheika is set to meet with Castle on December 10 to review the side's performances, with the 2019 World Cup in Japan fast approaching.
This wouldn’t be the first time White has gone for the Wallabies job. He lost out to Ewen McKenzie in the race to replace Robbie Deans, when the New Zealander resigned after the 2013 series loss to the British & Irish Lions.
White is said to be open to coaching the Wallabies, but not on an interim basis.
The other candidate reportedly interested in the role, should Cheika step aside, is Scotland director of rugby Scott Johnson.
Johnson, who has previously acted as interim coach for both Wales and Scotland, has been linked with a move back to Australia for some time.
The 56-year-old has been with the Scottish Rugby Union since 2012.
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