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Jake White expresses interest in Wallabies job

Cape Town - Former Springboks boss Jake White has revealed that he would consider taking over the Wallabies coaching reins if the chance arose.

White is viewed in some circles as a possible replacement for current Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika, who has guided the two-time world champions to five losses in seven Tests in 2018.

Despite being contracted until the end of the 2019 World Cup, Cheika is under pressure to retain his job after the Wallabies' poor results have seen them drop to seventh on the World Rugby rankings.

White, who was the Springboks' coach when they won the 2007 World Cup in France and guided the Brumbies to a runners-up spot in Super Ruby in 2013, said he still has a desire to coach at Test level and would consider the Wallabies job if it became available.

"Obviously, I think that I've always said that coaching one of the top teams in the world is where you get judged," White told ESPN.

"Australia is consistently always in the top teams in the world. I must say that obviously the reason I left [in 2013] was it was very, very well documented that the South African way, or style of play, wasn't the way Australia wanted to go. I'm sure things have changed, but that was the reason."

White, who is currently coaching Toyota Verblitz in Japan's Top League, feels it is "highly unlikely" he would be offered the Wallabies coaching position but he also said "one never knows. Stranger things have happened in rugby".

The 54-year-old was shortlisted to coach Australia when Robbie Deans was fired after the Wallabies suffered a 2-1 series defeat to the British and Irish Lions in Australia in 2013 but Ewen McKenzie was preferred as the New Zealander's successor instead.

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