Ruck&Maul
Tuesday marked the 30th anniversary of the Springboks’ 1995 Rugby World Cup triumph.
Who could forget June 24, 1995, the epic final against the All Blacks at Ellis Park?
Since then, there has been a remarkable period of success for the Boks, with John Smit’s Class of 2007 conquering the world in France, and then Siya Kolisi’s band of warriors in 2019 in Japan and 2023 in France once more.
I was fortunate enough to be at the 2019 edition, and it was an unforgettable seven weeks reporting on the Springboks. The Boks’ trophy success, especially under Rassie Erasmus’ watch over the last few years, has been as impactful on the pitch as it has been off it.
But it doesn’t mean that it was always smooth sailing.
In any sports environment – as in life – it won’t always be hunky dory. That leads me to discuss the Bulls and the apparent ‘revolt’ taking place at Loftus Versfeld at the moment.
A Sunday news platform reported at the weekend that Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, is dealing with the fall-out from some of his senior players and assistant coaches, due to a supposed lack of communication and questionable treatment.
It reportedly all came to a head during the build-up to the recent United Rugby Championship final against Leinster in Dublin, where the Bulls lost 32-7.
White was critical about the lacklustre performance and once again repeated his familiar refrain of the Bulls not having as many top-class Test players as Leinster.
Those comments were apparently not well received by the Bulls players, and led to captains Ruan Nortjé and Marcell Coetzee reportedly expressing the team’s unhappiness to the top management about White.
Depending on whom you speak to in Pretoria and elsewhere, some would say that there is no plot to have White dismissed, and others feel that there is definite unhappiness with how players and assistant coaches are treated.
Now, anyone who has been involved in South African rugby over the last 30 years or so would tell you that White may rub some people up the wrong way.
He is a former school headmaster, a strict disciplinarian, and is a forthright rugby coach who is tough on his players and team management, and demands nothing but the best from everyone.
Is there anything wrong with such an approach, though?
Not necessarily, as especially professional sport is about getting results, particularly for coaches.
White has guided the Bulls to three URC finals in four seasons – arguably the best record out of any coach in the competition, even though the Pretoria side have fallen short of bringing that giant trophy to Loftus.
The former Springbok coach has built an impressive squad out of the doldrums of the pre-Covid era, developing a number of top players, who have become Springboks, such as Kurt-Lee Arendse, Ruan Nortjé, Cameron Hanekom, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and others.
White also announced after the URC final defeat that the likes of Handré Pollard, Jan Serfontein and Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg will be making their way back to the Bulls next season as well.
I felt that the Bulls were well off their best in the URC final, especially as they had seen off a Springbok-laden Sharks side in the semi-final a week earlier. Perhaps the demands of travelling all the way to Dublin and then facing a virtual Ireland Test side was a bridge too far, and so it proved in the end.
If the situation between White, the players and assistant coaches are as bad as has been reported – which may not necessarily be 100% true – why wasn’t it addressed earlier in the season?
I have felt that White has gone overboard on the ‘Bring all the Springboks back to South Africa’ mantra, just as he did with the travel factor in previous seasons. But at times, wearing his heart on his sleeve like that can also be detrimental to the team environment.
Sometimes things are better left unsaid, or behind closed doors.
The lack of significant game-time for players of colour has also been concerning to see at the Bulls for the last few seasons.
Never easy, but always worth it 🐂
What a season, THANK YOU for being a part of our story 💙 @Vodacom #URC | @URCOfficial_RSA #ForeverBlue pic.twitter.com/hH3BMx8FiM
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) June 17, 2025
In the just completed campaign, the likes of Devon Williams, Stedman Gans, Nama Xaba, Mpilo Gumede, Stravino Jacobs and Nizaam Carr hardly got minutes on the field, and Keagan Johannes only really got his chance due to injuries to Johan Goosen and Willie le Roux.
All of these issues, though, can be sorted out with proper communication and performance from all sides.
It shouldn’t be a case of “It’s either us or Jake” who must leave the Bulls. Maybe the Bulls should invoke the spirit of the Springboks to sort out their issues.
No one person is bigger than the team, and it would be a truly disappointing to see the current squad dismantled or White leaving Loftus due to unresolved problems.
