SRU chiefs refuse to deny claims of White in frame for Scotland post

Published on Monday 18 May 2009 10:02

SCOTTISH Rugby bosses are refusing to confirm or deny claims that World Cup-winning coach Jake White is to be lured from South Africa to succeed Frank Hadden at Murrayfield.

Speculation, which originally surfaced on fans' websites, has intensified over the weekend to the extent that Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson, the long-time vacancy front runner, is now believed to have strong competition.

In addition to White, there are suggestions that Eddie Jones, who took Australia to the 2003 final and who was part of the Springboks back-room team four years later, is also in the frame, although this would seem unlikely as he has just signed a contract to manage Japanese club Suntory of Tokyo.

White, however, has been out of work since controversially parting company with the Springboks in the wake of their 2007 triumph and it was also being reported today that the SRU would be prepared to match the 230,000 annual salary paid out by the South Africans. This compares with the 125,000 allegedly paid to Hadden.

An SRU spokesman said today: "The length of the short list is not completely finalised but there will be three or four on it."

Suggestions that the successful applicant will accompany the Scotland A squad to a tournament in Romania this summer appear wide of the mark – unless it is Robinson.

"The next game focus is the Autumn Tests and what is important is getting somebody in place by then," added the spokesman, who would not comment on claims the SRU had head-hunted White themselves.