EXCLUSIVE  by Greg Growden

SOUTH AFRICA’S World Cup-winning coach Jake White is in big demand in Australia, with the Waratahs and the Western Force interested in his services.

The Herald understands that White, who guided the Springboks to their 2007 World Cup success, was recently approached by several Waratahs team officials over whether he would be interested in a director of rugby role at NSW.

However, the Waratahs are not the only Australian team pursuing White, with the Force looking at him as a possible replacement for head coach John Mitchell, who has decided not to seek reappointment when his current term expires at the end of next year.

It is believed Mitchell is being head-hunted for a provincial coaching position in South Africa.

The Force are eager to have a high-profile coach as Mitchell’s successor in 2012, and it is understood White may be interested in relocating from South Africa to Perth.

If not, then Sydney could be a very strong option. The Herald has been told that at least two NSW officials were recently in contact with White, with coaching on the agenda. It is believed a director of rugby position at the Waratahs was discussed with White, and that position would not involve taking over Chris Hickey’s head coaching role, but instead working above him.

Around the same time, another Waratahs team official is understood to have sounded out Springboks second-rower Victor Matfield about joining the NSW coaching panel from 2012. The 32-year-old Matfield recently admitted to the Herald that he was interested in pursuing a coaching career once his playing days were over, which is likely to coincide with next year’s World Cup tournament.

”I will probably have a look in coaching. Maybe with coaching overseas,” Matfield said.

While Matfield intimately knows the Australian scene, so too does White, who between 2004-07 devised ways to beat the Wallabies at Test level – where his Springboks line-up won six of their 11 internationals against Australia.

His overall record for the Springboks was 36 wins from 54 Tests.

White is also a close ally of former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones. Jones, who attended a Waratahs training session at the Sydney Football Stadium last week, was White’s assistant during South Africa’s successful 2007 World Cup campaign.

Although the White/Matfield development comes on top of recent speculation Michael Cheika – until he signed with Stade Francais last week – and Michael Foley were in line to be the next Waratahs coach, the NSWRU is adamant Hickey is safe until his contract expires at the end of next year. NSWRU chairman Ed Zemancheff said last week there were no plans to replace Hickey next season.