South Africa has announced that Jake White will not stay on as Springboks coach despite leading the nation to victory in the Rugby World Cup final.

SA Rugby has drawn up a shortlist of four possible replacements and a panel met on Monday to discuss the search for a coach.

"It was confirmed that Jake White did not apply for the position and he was therefore not considered," SA rugby said in a statement.

White's contract officially ends on New Year's Eve while the four candidates will not be announced until they have been informed first.

However, those thought to be in the running are Chester Williams, a 1995 World Cup winner, Springbok backs coach Allister Coetzee and Pieter de Villiers, the national Under-21 coach.

The Bulls Super 14-winning coach Heyneke Meyer has also been mentioned as a strong candidate.

Like anything in South African rugby, the situation is not straightforward because White reportedly has a clause in his contract allowing him to be reconsidered for the position without reapplying. SA Rugby has refused to say whether White's name could be added to the shortlist at a later date.

The governing body added that White has not yet decided where his coaching future lies, although he has said he wishes to continue at international level.

White has already expressed an interest in coaching England, as well as holding preliminary talks with Wales about its vacant head coach's job following the departure of Gareth Jenkins.