Under-fire Springbok coach Peter de Villiers seems likely to escape the axe, despite his team plummeting form.

The South African Rugby Union indicated on Sunday that De Villiers will face just a "normal review" and "formal discussions" about his outlandish comments.

However, the review will only take place later this month - ruling out the possibility that he will be axed this week as some reports suggested.

This soft-touch on the Bok coach comes after the worst Tri-Nations performance in recent memory.

A year after beating the British and Irish Lions in a series, as well as claiming the Tri-Nations, the Springboks appear to be a team in complete disarray.

South Africa's 39-41 loss to the Wallabies in Bloemfontein at the weekend ensured that they have lost another piece of silverware - conceding the Mandela Plate to the Australians, after losing the Tri-Nations and Freedom Cup to the All Blacks.

It was the Springboks' fifth defeat in six matches, and handed them the wooden spoon.

However, what is most alarming though is the fact that the side that ran out in Bloemfontein was the most experienced Test side ever fielded by South Africa - a fact trumpeted by De Villiers and his spin doctors - a team boasting 750 Test caps.

And one of the most galling statistic to come out of their failed Tri-Nations campaign is the fact that they conceded 22 tries throughout the tournament, setting an unwanted record.
 
However, on Sunday SARU played down the reports of an immediate axing of the Bok coach.

They said the annual review of the Springboks' performance in the Tri-Nations will be scheduled as "per normal" with Springbok coach Peter de Villiers for later this month.

"The review will include all aspects of Springbok performance," the statement said.

"All rugby followers are extremely disappointed with results in the Tri-Nations, as are the Springbok team and management, of course," SARU President Oregan Hoskins said.

"We take the situation very seriously but there is a process in place and we will follow that through."

Hoskins said that there would be formal discussions with the coach about some of his reported comments.

De Villiers caused an outcry last week with his unprovoked statement relating to Blue Bulls prop Bees Roux, who stands accused of having killed Pretoria Metro police officer Ntshimane Mogale.

The Bok coach last week told a media gathering that the Boks are "100 percent behind Roux".

Hoskins said that he had written to the family of Mogale to express the Union's support and condolences at this time of mourning.

SARU said they will make no further comment until the review process is complete.