Brumbies 2012

[Slim 293]

Jake White and Nic White, father and son?

Not even close...

 

[Slim 293]

I don't want to get my hopes up, and certainly don't want to set up Jake White as the saviour only to be disappointed...

But I'm liking what I read so far...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/s...ng-back-the-brumbies-aura-20110427-1dwzs.html

Former Springboks coach White wants to bring back the 'Brumbies aura'

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/s...umbies-aura-20110427-1dwzs.html#ixzz1KjqVH2vb

JAKE WHITE wants to restore the ''Brumbies rugby aura'' and reintroduce an unpredictable, attacking style when he takes over as ACT coach next year. And the South African has Wallabies star James O'Connor at the top of his shopping list.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan announced yesterday that White would replace Tony Rea at the end of the Super Rugby season. His appointment ends two months of uncertainty after Rea was named caretaker coach following Andy Friend's axing after only two games.

White has been given four years to build his team and end the Brumbies' Super Rugby finals drought. But with his resume already bulging with impressive achievements, White will not settle for mediocrity; he will seek immediate success.

''The last thing people want to hear is me saying, 'Give me four years and judge me then','' White said. ''I think the quicker we get things right, the better.

''I'm not taking a cop-out and saying give me four years to build a team. We've got to win as quickly as we can, we've got to work together to get it right and, hopefully, we are in the play-offs next year … maybe the semis and the final.

''If you don't dream, you won't get there, and the quicker we can get our recruiting and systems in place, the quicker everyone buys into the way we want to go and the quicker we can achieve.''

White could take the reins at the Brumbies as early as August, with the club trying to arrange a three-game, post-season tour of Japan or Europe. The former Springboks coach has already moved to start adding players to the roster for next season. He has spoken to O'Connor twice about a possible move to Canberra next year.

But until White moves to the capital in July, he will observe from a distance before deciding what changes he needs to make.

White beat Rea and two other hopefuls for the Brumbies job. Fagan said it was White's enthusiasm and record that set him apart.

''It is a massive signing for the organisation, a real coup,'' Fagan said. ''His record speaks for itself and he won't have a problem in the world to coach at club level.''

White led South Africa to the under-21 World Cup title in 2002 before being given the task of coaching the senior national side. The Springboks went on to win the 2004 Tri Nations series and the 2007 World Cup. Guiding the Brumbies will be his first full-time job since South Africa's World Cup triumph.

''When I did stop coaching I said I would only go back if I could go to a team that I could add value to and that team could add value to me as a coach,'' White said. ''I've been offered many jobs post the World Cup that I never felt had the right synergy for me.

''So when the Brumbies job came up, it was one that excited me. I enjoy the Brumbies brand, I enjoy the way they play.

''I think they're in a place now which I think is pretty similar to where the Boks were in 2004 - they need some guidance and I'm excited about building a team. Anyone can take over a winning combination and keep winning. Part of what excites me is going into a team and trying to help them when they're not at their best.''

White lives in Stellenbosch near Cape Town and will visit Canberra next month to watch the Brumbies play the Lions at Canberra Stadium on May 14.

The 48-year-old is married to Lindy and has two sons, Clinton, 19, and Wesley, 16. He will then permanently relocate to the capital in July to start building his program.

After more than three years as a coaching consultant for some of the world's top teams, White got the itch to return to the job full-time. He was negotiating with French and English clubs before Friend was sacked and the Brumbies role became available. He was with former ACT mentor Eddie Jones when the news first broke and White said talking to Jones convinced him that joining the Brumbies was the perfect opportunity for a new challenge.

''I was spoiled [when coaching South Africa] because I knew all the players, I knew where they came from, and sometimes I knew their parents,'' White said.

''Now I don't know the players or the environment, I'm not going in with any bias or any preconceived ideas. I'm going in with an open mind and that's nice because the players will be judged on how I get to know them and what I see with my own eyes.''

 

[Slim 293]

Maybe the first thing White can do is fix the jerseys...

They're not too bad but I've had some minor issues with the Kooga jerseys... except for the Heritage jersey which they ruined...

This is how it once looked:

Then it went to this monstrosity:

And now it's been slightly improved due to the extension of the sponsorship:

And let's get rid of that weirdly placed rounded off gold bar on the shoulder of the jersey... or at least extend it so runs off as a strip to the sleeve...

I saw this picture early in the season and thought it had been removed, but alas you just can't see it, and the jersey is better off!

 

[RedsHappy]

I don't want to get my hopes up, and certainly don't want to set up Jake White as the saviour only to be disappointed...But I'm liking what I read so far...
]

OK, there are always risks with any new coach, but wow, IMO the ACTRU, after years of vacillating mediocrity that has taken them nowhere but into the dirt, seem to have found the vision and courage to appoint an unquestionably world-class rugby coach with, seemingly, exactly the right brief from the Board to restore the once-deserved rugby glory in Canberra.

They are absolutely to be congratulated. This is precisely the direction - find world class capability and pay for it - all State RUs need to take, and it was from the terminal disaster of the late 2009 QRU that a new, decent Board was found, plus then, from them, the fortitude to appoint Link after his less than pretty departures from NSW and Paris. We see the results of all that decisiveness, deep quality upgrade, and better code management overall, coming through now, loud and clear.

Plus it's likely that, if all goes well with White, the benefits for Aus rugby will be significant: enhanced player development and depth, a conquering Brumbies S15 team to rival NSW and QLD (with thus maybe 3 S15 SF contenders coming quite soon, assuming Hickey is replaced with a White-like choice in terms of record and calibre), improved support coaches and technical infrastructure, and growing gate $ income for the ACTRU.

You can guarantee that existing elements of today's Canberra rugby culture will kick back like stuck pigs when White gets going, so the Board will need to show steel in 2012. But the omens that it will - and knows that it must - are good.

 

[Slim 293]

Return of the Brumbies...

Former Brumbies greats recruited by new coach

BY CHRIS DUTTON, IN CAPE TOWN
28 Apr, 2011 08:12 AM

Jake White will enlist the help of some of the ACT Brumbies' greatest players in an attempt to boost the club's chances of being successful next year.

On the same day he was announced as the new Brumbies coach, White flagged his intention to recruit George Gregan, Joe Roff, Rod Kafer and Jeremy Paul as consultants.

The Brumbies unveiled White as their new mentor yesterday.

He will move to Canberra in July to start preparations for his four-year tenure in the capital. And giving former players a greater input and ownership of the team is at the top of his priority list.

''I just think [the Brumbies] are sitting on a gold mine. It's not about reinventing the wheel,'' White said.

''It's a successful brand, it's well known all over the world and there was an aura about the way [the Brumbies] played.

''You've got brains and people who have lived and died in a Brumbies jumper like Gregan, Roff, [Stephen] Larkham, Paul, Kafer, Owen Finegan.

''The reality is that as many of those guys can be part of the set-up, the better you're going to be going forward.

''One of the things I've been big on is the history and tradition that comes with the Springboks and the Brumbies.

''I really want to make those people feel that they're proud to be ex-Brumbies and that they can contribute to making sure the Brumbies brand stays powerful.''

Larkham is already an assistant coach with the Brumbies. Gregan visited Brumbies training last week to help tutor the scrumhalves and indicated he was keen to be more involved next year as a consultant.

Former Brumbies coach Eddie Jones is another who is likely to be used as a coaching consultant. Jones was assistant to White during the Springboks' successful 2007 World Cup campaign. White will wait until he moves to Canberra before deciding what, if any, changes he will make to the Brumbies' set-up.

Time and training constraints prevented White from meeting the Brumbies players and coaching staff while the team was in Cape Town on Tuesday.

But he hoped that using the knowledge and expertise of former players would be a major step in re-establishing the Brumbies as a Super Rugby force.

''The most important thing for me to do right now is to listen,'' White said.

''When I get [to Canberra] for the first 30 days I will listen and observe.

''Once I have done that then at least I'm coming from an informed position about what I think needs to be done to go forward.

''Obviously I have my own ideas about what a successful team should look like and what a successful team should behave like and train like.

''Hopefully if it's on par with that there's no reason to change ... but there's no use compromising on what you think is a recipe for success.''

Hopefully Paul's name was just thrown in there out of respect...

Great player... unsure about what kind of contribution he could make with Stephen Moore being a more complete, better player...

 

[Jets]

Happy for Paul to do anything as long as it keeps him off the Rugby Club

 

[fatprop]

Brains & Jeremy Paul?

 

[PaarlBok]

jakes laaities will stay at home but he and his Mrs will depart for Aus. He wont be involve in this weekend match against the Tin Ears

 

[Slim 293]

Well, Kafe just stated on air that if he was asked to help out with the Brumbies he'd love to...

Hopefully he could come in and act as a consultant to help Larkham out...

 

[Ruggo]

Sounds like they will need a few more chairs for that coaches box. As if it wasn't already crowded.

 

[Bullrush]

Sounds like they will need a few more chairs for that coaches box. As if it wasn't already crowded.

That gave me a good chuckle for the day....nice

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

I dont think Jake White will crowd himself with too many voices.
I think it will be him, a Backs coach, Fwds coach and thats it.
Eddie Jones to consult when avaliable....
I dont think White is the sort of coach to have too many fingers in the pie.....

 

[Slim 293]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/s...-rugby-franchise/story-e6frf4qu-1226048155762

According to this Fox Sports article White is going to have complete control of player recruitment and retention, as well as selecting his assistant coaches...

Ruan Pienaar is already being floated as a possible recruitment...

Also, the Brumbies are apparently close to re-signing Chisholm, McCabe and Kimlin, depending on their ARU top up negotiations with the ARU...

I just really hope they can retain Kimlin because he's consistently been their best performer of late...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Kimlin and McCabe are good solid guys and any coach at Super rugby level would want them in a squad.

 

[tranquility]

Kimlin is far more than solid in my opinion, genuinely has the ability to be a very classy lock.

 

[daz]

Sounds like they will need a few more chairs for that coaches box. As if it wasn't already crowded.

Add an extension to the coaches box? Maybe a nice two-level townhouse? A bit of IKEA furniture, a game plan and some semi-loyal players and the Jakey Bunch will be good to go.

How hard is it to get planning approvals in the ACT?

 

[barbarian]

If they need room they can always go and sit in the stands. Plenty of empty space there...

 

[Slim 293]

Add an extension to the coaches box? Maybe a nice two-level townhouse? A bit of IKEA furniture, a game plan and some semi-loyal players and the Jakey Bunch will be good to go.

How hard is it to get planning approvals in the ACT?

I imagine it wouldn't be too easy considering the Brumbies have had difficulties trying to organise a professional training facility for some time...

 

[Brumby Jack]

Mark Chisholm's future is far from settled and he says that his contract options outside the Brumbies are virtually non existent and it is a worrying time for him.

 

[Slim 293]

I say we get rid of both Phibbs and Valentine...

Good news on Kimlin and McCabe though...

Phibbs contemplates life beyond Brumbies

BY CHRIS DUTTON
12 May, 2011 07:34 AM

The feeling of being unwanted could drive Patrick Phibbs to take a ''new challenge'' in Europe or join a rival Australian Super Rugby team next year.
The Brumbies scrumhalf is one of a handful of off-contract players trying to impress new ACT coach Jake White and win a new deal for the 2012 season.

But while Phibbs said his preference was to remain in Canberra, he conceded that he faced an uphill battle to retain his spot in the squad.

White will visit Canberra next week to start finalising his player recruitment for when he takes over the coaching reins in July.

It is understood Pat McCabe and Peter Kimlin have all but agreed to new deals in the capital while Mark Chisholm has also been offered a new contract.

That leaves White with six empty roster spots to fill.

The Brumbies and all Australian Super Rugby franchises will trim two players out of their top squads next year to have a 30-man roster.

The Canberra Times understands the Brumbies are likely to carry just two scrumhalves in their cut-down squad.

And with Nic White already signed on for at least another season, there's just one spot left for Phibbs, Josh Valentine or a new No9 recruit.

''I don't know if I am in their [the Brumbies'] plans for next year,'' Phibbs said. ''If they want me I'll stay, but it doesn't sound like they want me at the moment.

''I don't know what the process is now with a new coach for next year, so it's a bit hard to tell.

''It was frustrating last year when the Brumbies left me out of the loop for a while after the season and that was a bit disappointing ... I hope the same thing doesn't happen again.

''We're losing a lot of experience with [Matt Giteau] and Adam Ashley-Cooper leaving next year so you'd think they'd want to keep the blokes that have been around for a while.''

Phibbs, Valentine, Tyrone Smith, Samu Wara and Rocky Elsom are all off contract at the end of the season.

Mitchell Chapman (Japan), Giteau (France) and Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs) have already announced they will not be at the Brumbies next year.

White is targeting James O'Connor as his marquee signing and the boom Wallabies back is expected to announce this week whether he will stay with the Western Force or join a new team.

Valentine has held some preliminary discussions with the Brumbies about his future.

His preference is to focus on winning back his starting spot and wait until the end of the season before making a decision on where he will play next year.


''The Brumbies is definitely still an option, I guess I have to make a decision pretty soon for their part and my part,'' Valentine said. ''Jake White comes with a lot of credentials and it sounds like he's going to tap into a lot of resources to help the players and the organisation.

''It's a wake-up call [going back to the bench], I haven't been overly happy with my form.

''I guess I'm finding it a bit tough and my role in the team has changed since the start of the year.

''For now I'm trying to make the most of the game time I'm getting.''