The World Cup-winning coach Jake White yesterday confirmed he would leave South Africa, just as it became known that another coach who has interested England in the past, Warren Gatland, would arrive in Britain before the weekend.
Gatland, currently with the Waikato Air New Zealand Cup side, has already spoken to Wales following the sacking of Gareth Jenkins in September. Yesterday close friends said he was prepared "to talk to anyone who was interested".
Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union's elite rugby director, is currently reviewing the performance of England and their head coach, Brian Ashton.
The 44-year-old former All Black hooker coached Ireland, where he replaced Ashton, for three years from 1998, but his real success came when he moved to Wasps in 2002, taking them to three successive Premiership titles and victory in the Heineken European Cup in 2004.
He has been Waikato's chief technical director for two seasons but is known to be unhappy at a lack of further promotion, a prospect which was not helped yesterday when Robbie Deans indicated his interest in the New Zealand job. The Crusaders coach, the most successful in Super-14, has told Australia he will not put his name on the shortlist for their vacancy.
The deadline for applications to succeed John Connolly, who left after the World Cup, is today and Deans said he did not want to be interviewed. "I just wanted the opportunity to say it for myself," he said. "Essentially I am available, interested and keen to coach the All Blacks."
Deans's decision is a gamble because the All Black incumbent, Graham Henry, has yet to resign, though he was told he was serving his notice after New Zealand were beaten by France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Asked about the risk he could end up with neither job, Deans said: "That's a possibility. They (the Australian Rugby Union) have a process to go through as well and they've got timelines they may want to meet. That's the way it is."
Deans has also withdrawn from consideration for the Wales job. Jenkins' assistant, Nigel Davies, will take charge for this month's Test against South Africa.
Hours later White was confirming that his last game in charge of the Springboks would be at Twickenham, against the Barbarians, on December 1st - 30 days before his contract expires. He released a statement in Cape Town explaining how his position had been undermined, two days after the board said it would only consider those who had applied for the job.
"Given recent press statements indicating why I was not considered for the national coaching role next year I felt obliged to clarify a few points, so as to ensure the Springboks' incredible success at the World Cup is not tarnished with mis-information or inaccuracy regarding my situation," said White.
"I am extremely disappointed at the manner in which the message of my supposed unavailability was conveyed to the public on Monday in a South African Rugby Union media release that stated I would not be considered for the job on the basis that I did not apply.
"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. 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."
One coach who seems certain to keep his job is Dave Ellis, the Yorkshireman who worked with Bernard Laporte and was central to the French victory which cost Henry his job. Ellis, who is also defence coach at Castres, has been talking to the new France coach, Marc Lievremont.
