Baby Bok star linked to Wales warned selection no 'fait accompli'
Jake White believes South Africa’s involvement in the BKT URC will help lure World Cup-winning Springboks back home.
The Vodacom Bulls boss feels the fact the country’s four franchises are now competing in Europe will serve as a real selling point for recruiting big name ‘Boks.
White has been in Wales this week, preparing for his team’s BKT URC clash with Cardiff Rugby at the Arms Park on Friday night and he has a little tale to illustrate his point. “I had an interview this week with a player who plays, not in Wales, but in the UK,” he revealed.
“He came to see me about returning back to South Africa. One of the selling points is we are now playing in Europe. We are not playing Super Rugby.
“We are closer to home, we can feel what it’s like to be in the northern hemisphere, we understand northern hemisphere rugby. That’s a selling point for these players to want to come back to South Africa. Especially now that it’s post the Rugby World Cup. I understand players, they go out and make money.
“But with the new cycle of South African rugby, trying to pick a new Springboks side, maybe being at home and playing in front of your home crowd, being seen every week and being in the loop is going to be a positive thing and that will help the franchises.
“For those guys in the wilderness, playing at clubs abroad that people don’t really watch, maybe the way forward is to get them to come back to South Africa and play well in front of the supporters.”
White is particularly keen to see a return for the stars who lifted the Webb Ellis trophy out in France.
“We need to attract those World Cup-winning Springboks back to play in the franchises,” he said. “It’s wonderful they have done so well, but I would love to tap into that experience by bringing back guys like Jesse Kriel, Handre Pollard and Trevor Nyakane, just to mention guys who have played for the Bulls previously. There are other guys we would love to get back as well.
“If we could get that calibre of player back to our franchises, it would be so beneficial for our younger players – to play with some of the best Springbok players.”
One of the young Vodacom Bulls players who is really making his mark and hitting the headlines is dynamic back row forward Cameron Hanekom, amid the news he is eligible for Wales. “I didn’t know until one of the BBC commentators told me at training!” revealed White. “He said ‘Did you know this kid is Welsh qualified?’ and the next day I read in the paper he’s got a grandmother who qualifies him for the Welsh team.
“I think that’s a sign of the times. I don’t think it’s going to be the last time we get a player in South Africa that’s qualified for another country. Obviously, he’s a great talent. He was voted the best player in a U20s tournament a couple of years back. He’s still only 21.
“He’s been a good find for the public, but we knew he was in our system and that it was always inevitable he would come through into our mix.”
As for the No.8’s Welsh link, White added: “There are some really good loose forwards coming through for Wales, if I look at Jac Morgan, Taine Plumtree. So I don’t think it’s a fait accompli that just because you qualify to play for Wales that you will necessarily get picked to play for Wales.
“It’s a great honour to play for your country and I can’t see that just because you qualify you therefore get an easier ride into playing international rugby.”
The Vodacom Bulls arrived in Cardiff lying third in the BKT URC table having recorded bonus point victories over the Scarlets and Zebre Parma, either side of a 26-19 defeat to Ulster in Belfast.
“I am feeling pretty positive. I am happy where we are,” said White. “There is a nice blend between senior pros and some of the youngsters, while we’ve made some quality signings.
“But you can’t take anything for granted in this league. It is so close and so competitive. I see the BKT URC as a real positive. I’d like to win it! We got to the final in the first year and last season we got knocked out by the DHL Stormers who got to the final again.”
He added: “In the first year of the BKT URC, I don’t think our fans understood what European rugby was like, but this is year three now. When we play our home games in the Champions Cup, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get 40-50,000 at those because of the whole groundswell of BKT URC and playing in Europe. It’s really taken off.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
154 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
173 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
173 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
173 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
173 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
173 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
173 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
173 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
173 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
173 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
173 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
173 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
173 Go to comments