Tuesday, 4th July 2006 at 9:33 pm

Jake In Progress

A week ago, Jake White was leaving the country on the first bus to Hackney if his contract wasn’t renewed, insisting he needed the security of a job through to 2009. Today, a statement from SA Rugby tells us Jake is quite happy with the Presidents Council decision to leave the status quo, and review Jake’s contract in the 30 days following next year’s tournament in France. Let’s think about this for a second. Seven days ago he was insisting that European offers galore awaited; now he’s content to stay on and wait ’til next year’s tournament is over? Forgive my cynicism, but I’ll be most surprised if Craig Livingstone, Jake’s agent (with offices across the continent as well as South Africa) hasn’t been on the phone already, making a few quiet enquiries. SA Rugby might lose a World Cup-winning coach, and sport a collective red face post-France; or they might wave goodbye after disappointment at the World Cup. We’ll need a year to find out, but either way, the odds of Jake White still coaching South Africa after next year’s World Cup aren’t looking good after today’s announcement. At least Luke Watson and Schalk Brits can take hope.