Jake White

Two things really:

1. seems odd to leave the Brumbies with 2 years left on his contract and having done so much with them that I would have thought that 1 more crack at the S15 would be tempting?

2. but as he is keen to further his international career which country might have tapped him up already? Is there something in the pipeline? The obvious one for me is France. They have been poorly managed and coached for a long time and underachieved as a result. Whilst it might cause 1 or 2 Frenchmen to choke on their pate I think the rest of the rugby world would be apprehensive if this partnership ever came into being?

Anyone got any insights into the Jake White situation?

Rumours mention Argentina, I think

The story goes like this.

But there are varying levels of truth in each I suppose.

Jake White was approached by the ARU to apply for the job f coaching OZ, but it was kept on the sly as they didn't want Robbie Deans to know they were talking to Jake and Ewen McKenzie

Then when it was announced that Jake didn't get the job he heard it from a journalist first, he was not happy and wanted to leave Australia.

The Brumbies management talked him into staying.

Since then things got worse as the ARU wants to pull players not involved in the NOvember tests to a camp for sevens rugby (they want to win gold at the Olympics

He moaned and criticised the ARU, they started calling him saffa and precious etc.

This got him to the point where they eventually told him his attitude has now finally put a nail in his coffin and he will never get to coach the wallabies.

So he left.

Pulver says nobody promise 'jake the job, but according to him, he was already talking to candidates for assistant coaches.

somewhere the truth lies, nobody knows.

Thanks Biltong - most interesting. A real loss for the Brumbies. Sounds like he will take a job back in South Africa or take over Argentina. Maybe he should have gone for the England job as he turned that down?

Did he get the England Job, I don't think so.

No he turned it down when he probably could have taken it easily.

I think both AUS and ENG missed a big opportunity to take up White. Look at his record

3 jobs

U21 Boks - world champs
Boks - from 6th in the world to 3N title, No.1 in the world and world champs in 3.5 years.
Brumbies - 13th in 2011. Joins 2012, no major purchases. 2012 7th, 2013 RU and a whisker from the title.

He has a reputation for taking average to good players and turning them into world beaters.

I dont like White, and I still think we got lucky in the World cup (the draw opened up like the road to Damascus, and we still nearly lost to Tonga), but there is no denying the mans quality as a coach. I would think he burned a few bridges in South Africa, having called South African players stupid (well he didnt, he said Australian players were smarter - but having seen this Australian team, youd have to be an idiot to not be smarter than them), and I dont want him back at the Lions following the epic failure which took place last time right with his "Winning Ways" team.

If you're not NZ and you don't face NZ on the way to winning the world cup then I guess any journey can be described as fortuitous... but you can only play those in front of you and given England beat AUS and FRA and SA beat ENG twice I don't think they would have lost to anyone else.  In a final I wouldn't have said it was NZ to lose.... it would have been 45:55 in their favour but no more.

But its all hypothetical in the end.

12-10 vs Aus, and needed a Wilkinson DG to nail France. England hustled their way through, but I think the other two 3N countries, and probably France could have beaten us. I mean we nearly lost to Tonga!! Again, White is a better than decent coach, and he did an amazing job with the Brumbies, Im just not sure I want him back in any capacity, especially with my Lions.

12-10 vs Aus, and needed a Wilkinson DG to nail France. England hustled their way through, but I think the other two 3N countries, and probably France could have beaten us. I mean we nearly lost to Tonga!! Again, White is a better than decent coach, and he did an amazing job with the Brumbies, Im just not sure I want him back in any capacity, especially with my Lions.

he seems like the type of coach that France would need...unfortunately will have to put up with PSA moaning puppy voice for 2 more years

He would only go to major major sides now and probably only test rugby.

shame the guy has had only 3 years of test rugby... shame for the global game in reality... ENG and AUS will certainly have been better for it. In 2015 who will be the one who will regret it most???

Methinks Aus is regretting it right now. And maybe a bit more if they lose to Argentina.

See he is looking to take over the Sharks will he go back to route one Rugby there.

Did the brumbies play route 1 rugby over the last 2 seasons???

The sharks with players like lambie, frans steyn etc will not play route 1. Their backrow is very mobile too.

If he does return I would say they will win the SA division and get to the SF at the very worst.

Look at the side

beast, Bismarck, jannie, du Toit, van der merwe, Alberts, deysel, daniel in the pack.

McLeod, lambie, mvovo, steyn, whitehead, jp Pietersen and viljeon.

That is a very strong side.

With white on board they will become even better... They are better man for man then the brumbies.