There's no Wallabies on his side, but don't tell new Brumbies coach White there's no hope
Josh Rakic
December 3, 2011
The Super Rugby side may be at a low ebb but optimism is plentiful, writes Josh Rakic.
YOU get the sense World Cup-winning Springboks coach Jake White did his homework on Australia before agreeing to a four-year deal with the Brumbies. After all, he was a Johannesburg school teacher.
Cast aside by the South African Rugby Union following the 2007 World Cup win over England, he's waited four years to get back into the game as a head coach.
And while he makes no secret of his intentions to again scale the heights of international rugby and lead another side to World Cup victory - perhaps the Wallabies one day - the endearing father-like figure sees Australia as the perfect platform to relaunch his coaching career and develop into not just a better rugby coach but a world-class mentor.
''The one thing that I'm excited about and also played a massive role in coming to the Brumbies is it's not just the Brumbies, it's Australia,'' says a relaxed White, leaning back in his chair after sharing a gourmet meal with his playing squad at Brumbies HQ.
''Australians have got an unbelievable work ethic in sport. When you look at their achievements in sport it is phenomenal. I just thought that this was the one country where I could develop as a coach.
''And I thought that Super Rugby might be a good way to get back into rugby. And there's a link between South Africa, so I can still be judged as coach within that competition.''
He's already picked the brains of some of the country's top coaches.
''I read Ric Charlesworth's book and since I've been here I've had meetings with Bill Sweetenham, the swimming coach,'' he says. ''I've had meetings with Ricky Stuart. Kevin Sheedy is going to be coming to Canberra and I went down to Melbourne and met Craig Bellamy.''
And he knows new Australian cricket coach Mickey Arthur better than most. White revealed it was Arthur who helped convince him Down Under was a place to prosper.
''I don't think he ever thought he'd be coaching Australia in cricket. And I asked him a lot about Australia before I moved here,'' White says.
''And he said: 'Jake, the one thing about this place is they share their knowledge, they're open to ideas and players like to be coached.' He said it was a great environment to bring out the best in yourself … I may not have international exposure but there's a lot more opportunity for me to develop myself as a coach.''
With the NSW coast less than two hours away, White says he's the happiest man in Canberra. And clearly, given the mass player exodus in the nation's capital, he's the only one happy the Brumbies ended last year's Super Rugby season just two rungs short of last on the ladder.
There's no Matt Giteau, no Adam Ashley-Cooper, no Rocky Elsom, Mark Chisholm, Huia Edmonds, Salesi Ma'afu or Josh Valentine. And captain Stephen Hoiles parted ways with the club just this week due to a career-threatening Achilles injury.
But as he looks around the team room scattered with unknowns and wide-eyed 20-somethings, White smiles. ''Coaching goes in cycles,'' he says, starting every answer with an explanation as to how he came to that conclusion. His seeming transparency - or brutal honesty, depending how you look at it - is a trait that endeared him to his subjects, past and present. Less so with the rugby hierarchy in South Africa.
''You go into our change room now and our dining room now and, with all due respect, there are no Wallabies sitting there,'' he says.
''The other teams are sitting with all the Wallabies players and are at the top of their cycle, while we are at the bottom of our cycle. In a couple [of] years' time, hopefully these boys will be at the top of theirs.''
A similarity to the Springboks of 2004, then languishing in sixth on the International Rugby Board world rankings table, attracted White to the Brumbies.
''We started at the Boks with nobody and we were sixth in the world,'' he says. ''The Brumbies are 13th of 15, we've lost about eight Wallabies. But I don't see it as doom and gloom … I mean, six of the starting pack that I ever played in my first game as coach of South Africa played in the World Cup final.''
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...res-no-hope-20111202-1ob0q.html#ixzz1fXrKK8IN
