Jake White on Bok coaching job: ‘My name is not on the list’

Bulls director of rugby Jake White said he would only accept a position in the Springbok coaching system again if his current employers believe he should.

White, who won the 2007 Rugby World Cup with South Africa at the end of a four-year stint that included a Tri-Nations win, is easily the most experienced candidate other than SA’s director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, who can potentially succeed outgoing Bok head coach Jacques Nienaber next year.

Current Bok assistant coaches Mzwandile Stick and Deon Davids, along with overseas-based tacticians Johan Ackermann, Johann van Graan and Franco Smith, have emerged as possible options to take over from Nienaber, while Stormers head coach John Dobson’s name, too, has been proposed in the media.

‘My name is not on the list’

Speaking during a Bulls conference on Friday, White told media: “My name doesn’t crop up. I’ve been reading enough articles to see that my name is not on the list and that’s maybe a good thing. Sometimes it’s spooky when your name is on that list because you generally don’t get it.

“I’m signed here [at the Bulls] until 2027. I coach a lot of players who I think should be international players and who will become internationals. I work for an incredible organisation. I have a great relationship with my board, with [owners] Patrice Motsepe and Johann Rupert.

“I wouldn’t do anything without ever speaking to them about it. If they felt it was in the best interests of South African rugby that I would be involved in the national setup, I would only do it with their blessing.

‘Always want to coach internationally’

“As you’ve seen, unless you get in there and they want you, there is no use being forced in. Secondly, you’ve got to get what you think is important for you to run the organisation when it comes to rugby.

“You always want to coach internationally and I’m a South African. But, at the same time, all those things have to be in place and I can’t answer that because I’m busy coaching a provincial team.”

This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission. For the original story please click here.