Stormers interim coach Robbie Fleck and director of rugby Gert Smal confirmed this week that Lancaster was present at the team’s training headquarters in Bellville this week, but that he was only on a “fact-finding mission” after making a trip to Australia and New Zealand as well.

Fleck is in charge on an interim basis for the 2016 Super Rugby season after Eddie Jones walked out on the team after just a week in the job late last year to join England as their head coach.

The presence of Lancaster in Cape Town may have been seen as an indicator that he could become a long-term solution for the Stormers, but the 48-year-old – who resigned from the England job after a dismal Rugby World Cup campaign on home soil, where the hosts didn’t get through the pool stages – just presented a talk to all the local coaches.

“Stuart has been on a fact-finding mission. He has been down to Australia and New Zealand, visiting a couple of rugby league and Super Rugby teams. So basically, he’s been just been catching up and he came and asked Gert if he can join us here,” Fleck said during a press conference this week.

“He chatted about his experiences as head coach of England – the good and the bad of it – and his experiences during the World Cup. So, it was a great talk, and all the coaches from within the union were here, and it was a fruitful experience. It was great understanding what the pressures of a head coach are.

“There was nothing really rugby-specific, to be honest. He focused on his experiences and the culture of what he tried to build with England over the four years, and what went right and what went wrong during the World Cup campaign.”

Smal told Reuters: “Stuart’s been on a tour of Australia and New Zealand to see how they do things there, and when he asked to come and spend a bit of time here, we happily agreed. He’s got a lot of experience and expertise to share.”