Jones Rules Out Taking Charge of Springboks

South Africa are in disarray 10 months after winning the World Cup. They lie bottom of the Tri Nations after a second successive home defeat last Saturday and, with pressure mounting on the head coach, Peter de Villiers, there have been calls for Saracens' director of rugby, Eddie Jones, to take over.

Jones was a consultant for the Springboks last year, hired by Jake White, the national head coach whose contract was not renewed after the World Cup, and he was cited by the players as a significant factor behind their success in France. Jones, who coached Australia to the 2003 World Cup final, has made no secret of his desire to return to international rugby but has pledged the next three years to Saracens after taking over from his compatriot Alan Gaffney in the summer.

Although the South African Rugby Union has given De Villiers a vote of confidence after the defeat to Australia in Durban which prompted boos from the crowd, the Boks will finish at the bottom of the Tri Nations. "We lost 49-0 to the Wallabies a few years ago and imagine if we had sacked Jake White then," said the union's president, Oregon Hoskins. "We have learned that it is not necessarily the best approach to take.

"The reaction from the crowd at Durban was new to me. We are unwavering in our backing for Peter, but the public here know their rugby very, very well, probably better than any other nation on earth, and we will listen to all our stakeholders, including supporters."

Jones said: "I'm very happy doing what I am doing and I certainly enjoyed working with South Africa last year. I'd always be willing to give them a hand but for the next three years I have decided my future is here at Saracens. After that I will have a look around."

De Villiers hopes to have the wing Bryan Habana fit for South Africa's final Tri Nations match against Australia in Johannesburg on Saturday. The Springbok scrum-half Michael Claassens has signed a two-year contract extension with Bath.