Former South Africa coach Jake White has confirmed his interest in taking over the England job, should Stuart Lancaster leave the position after the World Cup.

Lancaster has said he will not decide his future until after the Uruguay game this weekend, but with England crashing out of their own World Cup at the group stage, many people are calling for him to resign.

White has been linked with the top job in English rugby several times, but believes he was never seriously considered for the role as England opted for home-grown, but inexperienced, coaches.

“When I was with the Boks, I was approached to put my name in for Rob Andrew’s job,” White is quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. “Then they contacted me before appointing Martin Johnson and Stuart Lancaster. All three times, they’ve gone for English people. Generally it’s used as a means to make the other candidates look like they have a bit of credence.

“The last three World Cups must send a message: if you go for a coach who’s never coached international rugby, it’s going to be ‘same old, same old’. They’ve tried it with Andy Robinson, Martin Johnson and Stuart Lancaster. They have one of the biggest budgets in the world but their coaches only have a few years’ experience.”

White would bring World Cup-winning experience to the table, should he replace Lancaster, having lifted the trophy with the Springboks in 2007 – when they beat England 15-6 in Paris.

Currently coaching Montpellier in the French Top14, White said he would have to consider the job if he was offered it.

“England have everything going for them in terms of resources, players and history,” he told the Guardian. “If they were genuinely interested and they approached me, of course I would be interested. It’s one of the biggest jobs in world sport and you’d be crazy not to consider it.”

The Mail report that Japan coach Eddie Jones is the frontrunner for the position if it becomes available, although the Australian recently agreed to join Super Rugby’s DHL Stormers after the World Cup finishes.