White v Everitt: Mentor takes on former understudy in Challenge Cup clash

It will be a full-circle moment when Jake White and Sean Everitt go head-to-head in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final in Edinburgh on Saturday (kick-off 1.30pm).

White’s Bulls take on Everitt’s Edinburgh in a clash that reunites two South African coaches whose careers have intertwined through mentorship, rivalry, and now an international showdown.

A relationship spanning decades

Their journey began in 2013 at the Sharks, where White arrived as director of rugby, fresh from a successful stint with the Brumbies and a 2007 Rugby World Cup win with the Springboks.

Everitt, then an assistant coach, worked under White during his brief spell in Durban. After White’s departure in 2014, he moved to Montpellier and led them to the 2015/16 Challenge Cup title.

Everitt remained with the Sharks, eventually becoming head coach in 2019 and taking the team to back-to-back Currie Cup finals.

After parting ways with the franchise in 2022, he got a call from White – now back in South Africa rebuilding the Bulls – offering him a consultancy role. Their reunion was short-lived as Everitt took the Edinburgh head coach job in July 2023.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the Challenge Cup sets the stage for a poetic twist. Edinburgh booked their quarter-final spot with a gritty 24-12 win over the Lions, while the Bulls overpowered Bayonne 32-22.

Now, their paths cross once more.

White and Everitt vie for the Challenge Cup title

White left Everitt behind at the Sharks to win the Challenge Cup with Montpellier. Everitt left White at the Bulls and is now chasing the same title with Edinburgh, only to face his former mentor en route.

“I probably know him better than most,” White said last season. “I know how he thinks and how he coaches.”

White got the better of Everitt in their last encounter, the Bulls beating Edinburgh 22–16 in the URC in September last year, while Edinburgh won 31–23 in November 2023.

With the Bulls in their first-ever Challenge Cup quarter-final and Edinburgh pushing for silverware, the stakes are high. It’s more than a tactical battle – it’s personal. Everitt is chasing legacy while White pursues dominance.