Jake White admits coaching Bulls’ URC and Currie Cup teams ‘not ideal’

Bulls boss Jake White has conceded it is “not ideal” for him to be coaching both his union’s United Rugby Championship and Currie Cup teams.

White spent several weeks out of the game earlier this year because of ill health and after undergoing emergency abdominal surgery, but is working double time as the Bulls’ director of rugby.

After a poor start to the Bulls’ Currie Cup campaign — the team lost four matches in a row under new coach Edgar Marutlulle — White opted to relieve Marutlulle of his duties, with the director of rugby taking over.

‘Situation demands it’

The former World Cup winning coach has also remained at the helm of the URC side. White and his senior team have also been involved in the Champions Cup of late, but were knocked out of the competition 10 days ago by Toulouse.

“It is a challenge, and it’s not ideal,” said White on Thursday, when asked about his coaching two teams in different competitions.

“I knew this would be the case. It’s part of the job, and the situation demands it.

“I will vasbyt for the rest of the season and see how it goes this year and then reassess everything later on.”

With the senior URC team sent out to restore pride and get their Currie Cup campaign back on track against Griquas last Friday, the Bulls bagged a first win of the competition. They are next in action against the Sharks in Durban on Friday, while on Saturday the Bulls take on Zebre in a URC game, at 1pm.

Currie Cup challenge

White will be in Durban on Friday and at Ellis Park on Saturday, in a double-header also featuring the Lions against Leinster.

“I’ll go down to Durban and then fly back on Friday night (after the Currie Cup game, at 3.30pm),” explained White. “It has to be like that. I must do what I must do.”

White has challenged his young Currie Cup team to show him what they can do.

“There’s some experience in the team, but it’s actually an inexperienced team. There are six forwards who are still under 21,” said White.

“They’ve got a chance to show they can play professional rugby and as a collective unit. Age is not an excuse … Schalk Burger was then the world’s best rugby player at 21.

“We need to win now. We had a poor start to the Currie Cup and need to catch up if we’re going to make the playoffs.

“But we know this won’t be an easy game. The Sharks beat the defending champions, the Pumas, last week, so they’ll be confident and they haven’t lost at home in the Currie Cup this year.”

Bulls Currie Cup team: Franco Knoetze, Sibongile Novuka, Lionel Mapoe, Chris Smit, Wandisile Simelane, Morne Steyn, Zak Burger, Nizaam Carr (capt), Reinhardt Ludwig, Cameron Hanekom, Janko Swanepoel, Jacques du Plessis, Sebastian Lombard, Jan Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima. Bench: Jacques van Rooyen, Tiaan Lange, Robert Hunt, Phumzile Magondwana, WJ Steenkamp, Bernard van der Linde, Cornal Hendricks, Kabelo Mokoena