When you get it wrong, you can get it badly wrong South Africa coach Jake White

The defeat, by the biggest margin in Tri-Nations history, has led SA Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins to admit further defeats could spark changes.

"It would be incumbent on me to consult the organisation if we have a totally unsuccessful away leg," said Hoskins.

White admitted his job was under threat but said he would not stand down.

"As a guy who's been watching the Springboks since I was a boy, that's probably the worst I've seen happen," said White.

"I take responsibility for that. You take the bad times with the good times. When you get it wrong, you can get it badly wrong."

White said he had received another job offer, but did not go into further details.

"I'm not looking for another job," he said.

"When you're in coaching you've got to make sure you have a plan B.

"One never knows - ask Eddie Jones, ask John Mitchell, ask Clive Woodward. The reality is that's the nature of what we do."

South Africa's Tri-Nations itinerary sees them travel to New Zealand on Saturday and to Australia on 5 August, before playing three home games in a row.

We went into the game with a side that wasn't selected to compete Former Springboks coach Nick Mallett

"There is 110% support for the coach - I want to state that unreservedly," said Hoskins.

"(This result) is one real setback. This was a big, humiliating defeat, but we need to see what happens in the remaining matches on the away leg of the Tri-Nations. One failure is not tantamount to total failure.

"Everybody will be concerned - supporters, players, the coach and administrators. It was a serious defeat and we have to look at it seriously."

Meanwhile, Nick Mallett, who coached the Springboks between 1997 and 2000, blamed White's selection policy, with the decision to consistently overlook Western Province flanker Luke Watson singled out.

"We went into the game with a side that wasn't selected to compete," he said.

"There was no open-side flanker and there have been question marks around Jaco van der Westhuyzen at fly-half in the past.

"I've made the point before that you can't ever count someone out of your plans.

"With Schalk Burger injured, clearly the best loose forward is Luke Watson."

Mallett also criticised White's decision to seek a new contract before the start of the Tri-Nations, claiming the publicity generated destabilised the players.