Mass changes: Jake White's extravagant spending spree set to take Bulls back to the glory days
World Cup-winning coach Jake White has embarked on the biggest modern-era spending splurge, as he seeks to make the Bulls a powerhouse again.
The Pretoria team was the dominant Southern Hemisphere franchise between 2007 and 2010, winning three of the four Super Rugby competitions during that period.
Loftus Versfeld, the 50,000-seat fortress of the Bulls in a leafy suburb, was the scene of the many great triumphs, notably a 61-17 thrashing of the Chiefs in the 2009 Final.
The ground was regularly packed as adoring supporters turned up to watch stars like flyhalf Derick Hougaard, scrumhalf Fourie du Preez and locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha.
It was a very different story this year in Super Rugby, however, before the coronavirus pandemic brought the five-nation competition to a close after just seven rounds.
A Bulls side shorn of stars like playmaker Handre Pollard, who moved abroad after helping South Africa win the World Cup a third time last November, lost five of six matches.
The packed stands at Loftus were a distant memory with only a few thousand hard-core supporters turning up to witness one inept display after another.
It left the three-time champions 12th in the overall standings and hopes of a top-eight finish and a quarterfinals slot already gone less than halfway through the regular season.
Something had to give and coach Pote Human was fired, paving the away for the ‘Mr Fixit’ of rugby, White, to take control in March and immediately embark on a signing spree.
“We need to rebuild a winning culture at Loftus,” White, 56, told AFP. “Winning matches will bring thousands of supporters back.
“It will not be an easy task as the team has been struggling for some time, but we are up for it.”
White has hired a flood of experienced players, many of them former Springboks who opted to return home from Europe and Japan and spend the twilights of their careers in Pretoria.
The backs who were bought include Gio Aplon and Travis Ismaiel, both past 30 but with a lot to still offer, according to White, who coached the 2007 World Cup-winning Springboks.
To bolster the pack he wooed World Cup winner Duane Vermeulen back to South Africa after the forward spent a year cashing in on the riches of Japanese club rugby.
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Arno Botha, Nizaam Carr, Sintu Manjezi, Marcel van der Merwe and Walt Steenkamp have also been signed to create a virtually new Bulls pack for the post-coronavirus pandemic era.
It was not one-way traffic toward the Loftus changing rooms though with backs Warrick Gelant, Johnny Kotze, Manie Libbok, Divan Rossouw and Rosko Specman leaving.
South Africa-born former Scotland loose forward Josh Strauss was the latest departee after failing to make an impact in Super Rugby this season.
There were also coaching changes, notably the hiring of Russell Winter and the recall of former Bulls Super Rugby handler Nollis Marais.
Once dismissed by a rival coach as nothing more than a “video operator at training sessions”, White has succeeded wherever he has worked.
Assisted by wily Australian Eddie Jones, he guided the Springboks to 2007 World Cup glory with a 15-6 final triumph over England in Paris.
Told to reapply for his national team post by officials he did not click with, White refused and Peter de Villiers became the first black coach of the Springboks.
He later dramatically improved the Super Rugby fortunes of the ACT Brumbies in Australia and the Coastal Sharks in his homeland, taking both to the knock-out stages.
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White won the second-tier European Rugby Challenge Cup with French outfit Montpellier and later coached Verblitz in Japan.
When Verblitz hired outgoing New Zealand coach Steve Hansen this year, White came home and agreed to join the Bulls.
Forwards coach Winter is convinced White can make the Bulls a force to reckon with again in Super Rugby.
“We should never be shy of touting the South African style of play. When I coach forwards, I want them to play to their strengths – a brutal, confrontational type of game.
“South African forwards are naturally attuned to that way of playing and it can work so well for us.”
No rugby has been played in South Africa since mid-March because of the COVID-19 crisis and the most optimistic date for a resumption of matches is August.
SA Rugby is set to stage a revamped competition, starting in August – not unlike the Super Rugby-styled tournament already underway in New Zealand, with Australia set to follow suit in July.
– Rugby365
Comments on RugbyPass
Completely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to comments