The ACT Brumbies will clear the way for coach Jake White to pursue the Wallabies' top job if it becomes available, declaring he will be free to apply despite having two years remaining on his Super Rugby contract.
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White has led a revival at the Brumbies and is tipped as one of the front-runners to replace incumbent Robbie Deans if the Australian Rugby Union opts against renewing Deans' contract beyond the end of the year.
ARU boss Bill Pulver is adamant Deans' future doesn't hinge on the result of the series-deciding Test against the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday night.
But there has been speculation White is in a three-way battle with Deans and Queensland mentor Ewen McKenzie to take the reins leading into the 2015 World Cup.
White, who guided South Africa to a World Cup triumph in 2007, has previously stated his desire to return to international coaching after his stint with the Brumbies and admitted the Wallabies job was attractive.
The South African's contract with the Brumbies does not expire until the end of the 2015 Super Rugby campaign.
The Brumbies are reluctant to plan ahead for White's potential departure until the ARU makes a decision on Deans' future.
But chief executive Andrew Fagan confirmed the Brumbies would not stand in White's way.
''We're not planning for it. If it becomes a reality and Jake declares interest, we would support him in that,'' Fagan said.
''He would be remaining in Australian rugby and that's a positive thing for the Brumbies. But we're not paying any attention to it at the moment and wouldn't look at it until the ARU makes their decision.''
White has engineered a remarkable turnaround at the Brumbies since arriving in Canberra. He started after the club's worst season, in 2011, and made sweeping changes to usher in a group of unknown players.
When he took over at the start of last season, there were just three ACT players in the Wallabies squad. But when Deans names his team on Thursday for the Test against the Lions - the biggest game in Australian rugby since the 2003 World Cup final - there will be seven in the 23-man squad, even with David Pocock and Pat McCabe out of action.
White also led the Brumbies to a historic win against the Lions two weeks ago in Canberra.
Despite missing 12 regular starting players and taking on a Lions team boasting almost 600 Test caps, the Brumbies became the first Australian provincial side to beat the tourists in 42 years with a 14-12 win.
If Deans stays in the job until the end of 2015, it's unlikely he will continue beyond the World Cup and White would still be in a strong position to be the next Australian mentor.
But Pulver has backed Deans to see out his contract for the rest of the year and does not want his coaching future to distract from the clash with the Lions.
