Jake White and Eddie Jones

Jake White could make a quick return to rugby coaching with Japan coach Eddie Jones keen to secure his services with the Brave Blossoms.

It was announced yesterday that White would be parting ways with the Sharks after a single season in Durban.

White and Jones worked together with South Africa during the successful 2007 World Cup campaign when the Australian helped the squad in a consulting role.

And the roles could be reversed this time, with Jones in charge of Japan, and eager to bring in White although he admits the South African will be in high demand.

“He is going to do some consultancy, I just don’t know where,” Jones told Kyodo News.

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“If we are able to find a position for him then he would add enormous experience.

“I have chatted with him and if the opportunity arose then we would look at it seriously. But a lot depends on budget and whether there is a role for him within the team we have.

“We haven’t made an offer as yet but that’s not to say we won’t.”

White was also seen chatting to members of the Australian team that played in Cape Town this weekend, having worked with a lot of them during his time with the Brumbies.

However, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald ACT Brumbies chief executive Doug Edwards says the Super Rugby province is better off without the constant speculation that surrounded former coach Jake White’s future, but added that the World Cup-winning coach left the club in a very strong position.

Brumbies No 8 Fotu Auelua felt White had instilled a lot of belief in the playing group during his two years in Canberra and helped turn many of them into Wallabies.

White was just one year into a three-year term as Natal Sharks director of rugby, but he parted ways with the South African Super Rugby side on Monday.

It comes almost exactly a year after he walked out on the Brumbies halfway through a four-year contract.

Edwards said he had not dealt with White professionally, having taken over as chief executive from Andrew Fagan since White left.

White was linked with the South African coaching job almost as soon as he had taken over the Brumbies reins and there was also speculation linking him to the England job.

He then hoped to take over the Wallabies role when the Australian Rugby Union sacked Robbie Deans last year, but Ewen McKenzie was appointed instead.

That prompted White to walk out on the Brumbies, despite leading them to the 2013 Super Rugby grand final.

This year Brumbies legend Stephen Larkham and set-piece expert Laurie Fisher led the team as co-coaches.

Larkham has now taken the reins following Fisher’s departure for English club Gloucester.

Edwards said not having constant speculation on White’s future was a good thing for the Brumbies.

“It gives you some certainty,” he said.

“Stephen’s locked in for three years and we know he’ll stay for the three years.

“It’s always, probably more so from the players’ [perspective] a little bit disconcerting, I guess, to know there is some possibility there’s some other opportunities for the coach.

“We’re pretty happy with the way it’s turned out now.”

He said White had done a great job while he was in the ACT.

When White took over the Brumbies had finished their worst season, despite being known as the Real Madrid of rugby due to their plethora of stars.

The South African turned them into a formidable outfit with a group of largely unheralded players.

They narrowly missed the Super Rugby finals in his first season before falling 15 minutes short of claiming the 2013 title when they were overrun by the Waikato Chiefs in the grand final.

“Jake did a great job, it’s no secret we were languishing down near the lower half of the Super Rugby table before he came and his discipline has really enabled us to go forward and he put some structures in place and we’re probably reaping the benefits of it now,” Edwards said.

Powerful forward Auelua said White had left the Brumbies full of confidence, having transformed a squad with just three Wallabies in it into one with 14 internationals.

“I can only judge him on what he’s done here for us – he’s done a lot for us as a squad and he’s put belief in a lot of the players than are now representing the Wallabies at international level,” Auelua said.