The Brumbies have moved quickly to end speculation over the future of their coach Jake White after he was linked to the vacant England job.
Sky Sports
White, who guided South Africa to the World Cup in 2007, has hinted he would be interested in replacing Martin Johnson at the England helm.
And despite accepting that the 48-year-old will have aspiration to coach an international side in the future, the Brumbies have insisted White is committed to them for the next four seasons.
Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said: “Whenever anyone asks him if he’s interested in international jobs, he’ll forever say yes. But he’s not talking about now.
“He called me into his office and said, ‘I just want to clarify that I’m 100 per cent committed’.
“He’s made it abundantly clear to us. I wasn’t concerned by the articles.
“I see it more that we’ve got a World Cup-winning coach so with his credentials, whenever there’s a vacant job, his name will be linked to it.”
“He called me into his office and said, ‘I just want to clarify that I’m 100 per cent committed’.
…
hmmm, time for the brumbies to start looking for a replacement?
JW should spend some time at this level before applying for an international job again. He has effectively been out of coaching for 4 years
Die slang is geintereseerd in al die jobs beskikbaar. Dis eintlik baie swak smaak om dit openbaar te maak voor sy werkgewers. Maar hy was mos nog nooit bekend vir sy takt nie. Ek hoop hy bly in Aus. Weet nie vir hoe lank hy daar gaan bly nie. Hy gaan sy gat gou-gou daar sien, en stert tussen die bene terugkruip.
3 @ Rugbyprof:
I also have my reservations whether Jake the Snake will be successful with an Aussie side.
Aussies are reknowned for their running lines and brilliant backline attacking play, Jake not.
Jake is more known for his control over players and gelling them into a unit due to being loyal to selections, with a firm vision forward, but I somehow doubt whether the more free-spirited Australians would take that and not rebell against his style.
White would have suited the English head coach position much better, in my opinion.
Once a Schoolmaster, always a Schoolmaster… a man among boys but a boy among men!
Doubt Jake will last his full term at the Brumbies…. specially because the Aussies have shown a propensity to rebell against an Authoritarian type couach… look how many Aussie coaches bit the dust due to player revolts.
@ grootblousmile:
4
well said, that is also how i see the Aussie players.
5 @ superBul:
Super Rugby is going to be interesting… most of the sides have lost players, some have new coaches… and a heap of the “Old Guard” are no longer with us in the new season.
Those Franchises who are most awake, forward-thinking, fit and conditioned and maybe above all passionate and gutsy will rise to the top.
In the year of the 2007 World Cup the Bulls took their 1st Super Rugby title, then a coaching change brought them down a notch or 2, to be followed by 2 golden years and a 2011 which was just plain shit.
In 2010 & 2011 the Stormers started knocking on the door.
What will happen in 2012?
Will the Reds continue their red hot form and / or will the Crusaders once again make a strong run towards the end… or will the Lions surprise everybody with their passion and entertaining style of rugby?
Will South Africa have strong representation in the top 6?
Personally I think the Stormers have bled too many players without replacing them with quality players… something is not right down in Slaapstad.
I don’t think it will be easy for the Bulls to get over the loss of some BIG legends…. but I’m carefully optimistic for an OK’ish season.
The Sharks have some great forwards, an essential element in a Super Rugby onslaught… but damn, what kak midfielders they now have left – kak gaan hulle kak in the backline attacking and defensive stakes!
For the 1st time ever the Cheetahs have not bled too many players, so it’s reasonable to expect them to be bloody difficult customers in the SA Conference… but are they up for the travel thing this time?
The Lions – their first 4 games is going to define their season… will it be a “cut-back-down-to-size” period or will it see their passion and confidence soar to even higher levels? Your guess is as good as mine.
Jake, I hear KES are looking for a new coach. As a Jeppe Rugby Master maybe you’de be interested.
Would be difficult for you at first with the crowds at top SA schools games so much bigger than the Aus Provincial crowds.
Talking of KES, I see Habana chose to wear his KES socks during the BaaBaas game. Shows just how proud he is of his association with current employer WP and former employers the Bulls and Lions!
Didn’t have a great game though. Broke the defensive line several times.
For the most part big Vic was just about the only BaaBaa that gave 100% throughout IMO.
@ grootblousmile:
Cheetahs will be Ok at home but eish, the travel. Same for the Lions and (I think) the young Bulls side.
Sharks will do OK on the road.
Stormers are going to struggle up front IMO. They STILL have no grunt, and against the Kiwi’s that’s deadly.
My predicition, Guppies (Spit spit spit) to win SA Conference.
Bulls, Lions and Cheetahs all bunched in the middle of the table.
Stormers to end in bottom third and last in SA Conference.
Would like to think ALL SA sides are going to be competitive, but my head tells me it’ll be difficult.
Maybe the Lions can surprise me and win a few of the tough ones.
@ grootblousmile:
perfectly put!
@ Scrumdown:
Long term history tells me you are correct about the Lions, but if last season is anything to go by, the wins down under marked the resurgence of the Lions in the CC. Don’t see how the Guppies can win the conference with their backline. Their forwards won’t be able tp dominate all the time. For me the Cheetahs are probably the best bet for SA next year, with the Lions providing a strong challenge. Bulls and Stormers have bled too many players.
I also think that next year will produce some new heroes for SA rugby.
10 @ Lion4ever:
So, what you’re saying is that the 2 traditionally worst SA Super Rugby Franchises (in recent years) will be South Africa’s strongest contestants?
Sorry, can’t agree…
What I do think is that the playing field is much more level than in previous years in the SA Conference….
Let’s take the SA Teams seperately:
Lions: Boyant after a good Currie Cup Season and having found some answers. Unearthed wonderful players like Taute, Killian, Hollenbach, Jantjies, Strauss, Minnie, Rhodes, Pat Celliers…. but the main problem will be DEPTH in the squad, in a long Super Rugby Series. The first 4 games will define their season!
Bulls: Lost 5 Legends, but those legends are replaced by Chiliboy (Springbok), Flip van der Merwe (Springbok), Juandre Kruger (possible future Bok, maybe as soon as 2012), Francois Hougaard (Springbok)… PLUS the acquisition of Johann Sadie & JJ Engelbrecht has in fact strenghtened the Bulls backline. Will not be a winning season for the Bulls, but they should be damn competative. Depth amazingly solid and extensive.
Cheetahs: They have not lost many players and the likes of Brussow, Juan Smith, Ashley Johnson, Coenie Oosthuizen (after return from injury), Adriaan Strauss will be massive up front. They are a bit thin at scrummie with Sarel in Australia and Matewis somewhere in France or the UK (not that he was any good anyway), so it leaves Piet van Zyl with NO Super Rugby experience. Flyhalf stocks looking good with Johan Goosen & Sias Ebersohn, centers will be good (Strauss & Robert Ebersohn) but depth there may be an issue. Wings must still impress me but Daniller at fullback is good and underrated. Cheetahs might be thin at lock too.
Sharks: Springbok front row, average locks, great loosies with real grunt… solid scrummie to start, thin thereafter. Flyhalves well covered with the Frog & Lambie. Midfield is a massive Sharks problem… when the best they have is Meyer Bosman and a run-down Marius Joubert. Wings and fullbacks of international stature. So, the problem lies with locks & centers…. can Tim Whitehead make a marked difference?
Stormers: Still light at prop, after years and years… notwithstanding the acquisition of Deon Carstens. Andries Bekker will hang around in the centers again, leaving all the real locking work for Elstadt to do. Having lost Francois Louw the Stormers still seem fine at loosies. Dewaldt Duvenage is great at scrummie but Nic Groom is kak backup for an important position. 5 or 6 Flyhalves, not ONE great one amongst them, except maybe for Catrakilis who might be able to make the big step up. Jean de Villiers is over his best but between De Jongh and Jaque Fourie there are still solid centers. Habana, Gio Aplon & Joe Pietersen should make a good back 3… but what happens if there are injuries…. depth a problem!
So, I see it as quite a level STARTING BLOCK for 5 SA Franchises…. who will rise to the top?
@ grootblousmile:
GBS, you make some valid points, but here is how I see it:
Lions: This team has been together for 2 CC seasons and Super Rugby season. There is continuity of selection, and the team has strong leaders, with Strauss, la Grange, Van der Merwe, and Van Heerden all having captained the side. The Lions have also gotten into the winning habit, and wont want to give that up easily. Plus there have been some good buys in the off season, but there is still that question of depth. If the Lions win their 1st 4 games, they will challenge strongly for a top 6, but realistically look for a finish in the top half of the log. The Lions also had a good away leg last year, winning in Aus and NZ.
Cheetahs: Squad will remain largely intact and the return of Smith will be huge, and with Brussow and Johnson, they have a great looseforward trio, and the Cheetahs have also shown they can win without Smith. They will also be buoyed by the good showing last year. Again depth will be a problem, but they come with a never say die attitude, and will cause some upsets along the way, and if they get a head of steam going and build momentum, they will challenge strongly for a top 6.
Bulls: No need to add too much to what you said, but disruptions to the squad will cost them, but one or 2 good wins could see them surprising us all.
Sharks: The one factor you did not mention was the coach. I feel, that as good as Plum is, he has reached his sell by date at the Sharks. He could not motivate a Springbok laden team to one more big game. And for a quite a few games this year, the team has not performed as a cohesive unit for the full 80 minutes. Something is not right within the Sharks camp.
Stormers: Their light 5 will be their downfall again this season. A great defensive side, but they have not been able to score tries they way they should be able to with all that talent in midfield, and Habana should go to Japan to inflate his pension fund. AC’s reliance on the JW game plan will see the Stormers come up short again.
That is my take on next year’s Super Rugby season.
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