The Springboks should return to doing what they are best at and not try to copy other teams. This is the unambiguous message from World Cup-winning coach Jake White.

Speaking to iafrica.com on Monday, White confirmed that he would be available to step in at short notice and help salvage what appears to be a sinking Bok ship.

"I've been asked I would like to come back and the answer is: 'Of course, anybody  would want to coach their national team again'," White said about the possibility of taking over from under-fire Bok mentor Peter de Villiers.

White revealed that there was no formal offer on the table - either from himself or the South African Rugby Union - to step into the Springbok hot seat.

However, he has been in touch with Saru President Oregan Hoskins.

"I have just made it clear to Oregan [Hoskins], via e-mail, that I don't want to be hounded by the media and send the wrong message out via the media," White told this website.

"I don't want him to think that the media is putting on pressure from my side on him.

"What I am saying is, I would like to be of value going forward."

Familiar with the players

He said the reason why it would make sense for him to get involved at short notice is that he knows the majority of the players in the team, as most of them played under him between 2004 and 1007.

"I was with these players for a long time," he said, adding: "Obviously I think they can do better than they are doing now.

"Knowing the players make it easier to turn things around."

He also confirmed that he would be keen to bring back the coaching panel that helped the Boks win the World Cup in France in 2007.

"I would like to bring as many as I can, because I think they all understand what it takes to win," White said.

There has been some discussions with former Wallaby coach and Bok technical adviser (at the World Cup) Eddie Jones, while fitness coach Derik Coetzee is also keen. Backline coach Allister Coetzee is currently contracted to Western Province, while forwards coach Gert Smal is in the books of the Ireland national team.

White said there is no doubt that things need to change in the Bok squad, or the results - which have seen them lose five of their six Tri-Nations matches this year - will not improve.

Defence a major concern

Asked what changes he would bring about, White was frank in his reply.

"We have to look at our defence," White said, adding: "A concern for me is how we have gone from the best defensive team in the world to a team that leaks four tries consistently in Test matches.

"People are saying it is the new laws, but it is not the new laws.

"The All Black have had seven clean sheets in the last year.

"The bottom line is, if the All Blacks can get it right - they can slow the ball down or stop tries - they must be doing something right.

"I'm not for one minute saying we must copy the All Blacks, what I'm saying is find a way for doing what these players were the best in and that is defending.

"The second thing is that one has to be innovative. There is no doubt that the players have got stale and the reason they got stale it is because they have been around for a long time.

"That means you have to bring in new ideas, but that doesn't mean you to move too far away from what you were good at. What has happened is that we probably lost the focus on what we were good at as a nation and as a group."

Asked if there was a simple recipe to put the Boks on track, White said it is difficult to comment without having spoken to those on the inside of the squad.

"It is not just a case of one person saying: 'This is what I'll do.' If everyone knew, then we would have the answer straight away and we wouldn't need to bring anyone else.

"What has to be done is there has to be some sort of planning put into place between now and the World Cup.

"The planning, unfortunately, now has to be different to what it would have been if you were a four-year coach.

"When you have a team for four years it is very different to when you have the team for one year.

"You have to find a way to give every player going to the World Cup and opportunity to give it a full bash at the World Cup and that would change from individual to individual. It would impact how you pick teams from now. You have to pick the end-of-year tour in isolation.

"You can't just say the end-of-year tour: 'We have to win that', because it might not help you win the World Cup. You need to find ways which are going to be the best for everybody.

"The only way you are going to do that is once you get feedback from the people in the system about what is happening, before you can work out a plan.

"It is not as simple as doing it from outside."

Desperate need for a change

However, White was adamant that there is a dire need for change in the national team.

"If we leave the same things the same, we will have the same results tomorrow. If you don't change things today, you are going to be the same tomorrow - that is the reality."

Meanwhile, Saru played down speculation that White could take over soon.

Saru Communications Manager Andy Colquhoun said: "There could be half a dozen coaches wanting to take over from Peter [de Villiers], that doesn't mean it's going to happen" and "we are not going to speculate."