His great mate Heyneke Meyer is under threat after four years as Springboks coach, with strong suggestions former Stormers boss Allister Coetzee is in line to take over.
Meyer has a test winning percentage around 67 percent but defeat to Japan at the recent World Cup, another loss to the All Blacks in the semifinal and lack of trophies in the Springboks war chest have eaten into his support base.
Meanwhile, All Black coach Hansen and Meyer have struck up a friendship since they began their international head coaching duels four years ago and an arrangement whereby the loser of their clashes pays for dinner.
So far Hansen has opened his wallet once in eight tests against the Springboks. What's not to like about that arrangement and the continuing All Black supremacy against their old foes?
Meyer has coached the Springboks in 48 tests for 32 wins with 14 losses and two draws while in the same period, Hansen has been at the helm for 54 tests with three losses and two draws.
The noise from South Africa is about Coetzee's rise to take over after several earlier involvements.
He was on the Boks staff in 2000 with Harry Viljoen, became a national selector in 2003 then assisted Jake White as backs coach from 2004-2007 when they won the World Cup.
Coetzee was beaten by Peter de Villiers in the vote for the next Springboks coach then Meyer was promoted after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
