In 2007, Jake White tasted glory with the Springboks at the Stade de France, and he is hoping for another memorable occasion for South Africa in tonight’s World Cup final against the All Blacks.
White, now the director of rugby at the Bulls, enjoyed his finest moment in a lengthy coaching career when he guided the Boks to their second title 16 years ago in the same arena where Jacques Nienaber‘s team will hope to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
Captain John Smit’s South African side beat England 15-6 in a tight contest in Paris, and current skipper Siya Kolisi and his team will be going all out to defend the championship they clinched four years ago in Japan.
“I’ve been asked a lot of questions this week, and all I can say is that it brings back incredible memories – 16 years ago, France, Paris, same stadium… A lot of sentimental thoughts that go through my head, and obviously some wonderful memories that come back,” White said from Belfast yesterday after naming his Bulls team to take on Ulster in the United Rugby Championship tomorrow.
“We beat England 36-0 in the pool stages, and won 15-6 without scoring a try in the final. The reason I say that is that finals are such great things to watch because you never know what is going to happen – you never know how teams are going to front up in finals.
“The nice thing about South Africa is that they’ve won it (in 2019), so they know what it feels like – they would’ve handled the pressure. But back-to-back (titles) adds other pressures.
“It’s a wonderful advert for World Rugby that the two teams who have been consistently the best over a long period of time are now playing each other.”
White also reminded everyone that the Boks can make history tonight by becoming the first nation to win four World Cups if they can get past the All Blacks.
“Our first introduction to World Cup rugby was in 1995, and we beat them in the final at Ellis Park – and we know how important that was for us as a country,” he said.
“One of these teams would have won four of the last 10 World Cups, which is an incredible achievement.
“If you consider that South Africa didn’t play in the first two, that would be four out of the last eight – which would be a 50 percent record of winning World Cups, which would be an incredible achievement.
“Both teams have beaten each other this year, and it’s a fantastic advert for the World Cup. It’s the jewel in the crown, and it’s one where everyone plans for four years to win it.
“I can’t wait to see just what an occasion it’s going to be, and with wonderful memories at that stadium, the whistle going at the end – and the emotion and all the great feelings I was happy to experience in that time.”
@AshfakMohamed
