is Official?- Jake to join Sharks

Jake White is set to become the Sharks' new director of rugby, reports SIMON BORCHARDT.

SARugbymag.co.za has it on good authority that the current director of rugby, Brendan Venter, will be leaving the union after the Currie Cup. Venter is a practising medical doctor and agreed to work with the Sharks only until the end of October in any event, so White's appointment has in no way hastened his departure. It is highly unlikely that Venter will continue to consult for the Sharks as he and White both have strong personalities and would no doubt clash.

White is almost certainly going to sign a two-year contract with the Sharks that would allow him to leave the union at the end of 2015, which is when several Test nations are bound to be looking for a new head coach. White has made no secret of the fact that he wants to get back into international rugby, which is why he applied for the Wallabies position.

The Sharks would therefore want White to help develop inexperienced forwards coach Brad Macleod-Henderson and backs coach Sean Everitt over the next two years, so that one of them (most likely Macleod-Henderson) would be ready to become head coach in 2016.

White's appointment is expected to be confirmed by the Sharks within the next 10 days.

Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP Photo

Lets face facts.   I think Smit's first choice Director of rugby was White in any event.   There was a whisper that he approached White at the time - but at that time the Super 15 was still on the go and the Brumbies still title contenders - so there is no way that Whit would have applied to the Brumbies  to be released from his contract at that crucial stage of the competition.  

The crucial issue here is what the contract with Venter entailed - but as far as I am aware Venter did not practice as a medical doctor in recent times.   He was coaching rugby in England.   However, there was no indication at the time as to how long his contract with the Sharks was either.   Maybe Venter would like to start practising as a doctor at this stage - so their might be some truth in the above story.   It remains a newspaper story - so it might be some guessing at this stage. 

Chances are that White may go to the Sharks as indicated - but it is better to wait and see how things develop.   Hope it is so - because the Sharks will then be serious contenders for the Super 15 trophy this coming year.

Sasue

Durban is about two and a half  hours flying time from Cape Town - so it is not all that difficult to visit Cape Town and his family easily.   It is not like being in Australia and taking 24 hours to get to Cape Town by air. 

I think that there was another issue that may have impacted and that was his wife and whether she was able to settle in Australia.   Wives find it more difficult to settle there  than husbands.   We will never know about that one.

Be it as it may - White obviously prefer to coach an SA side and he obviously would have liked the Wallaby job.   So when he did not get it - he obviously think of pairing up with his friend John Smit at the Sharks - so that is likely the scenario.

And if that is so - the Sharks will win Super 15 next year.  My side is tops!!!!!   

Sasue

I will certainly have a good look at the Chefs squad when I do my fantasy selections.  Thy surely have some good players in the squad from what I read - players like SBW, Cane, Afeaki, Cruden, Anscombe  and Tomas, but they also have some dubious ones in the squad.   So lets wait till next year and see what actually happens.   I am looking forward to go all out in fantasy rugby next year.

Sasue

I will certainly have a good look at the Chefs squad when I do my fantasy selections.  Thy surely have some good players in the squad from what I read - players like SBW, Cane, Afeaki, Cruden, Anscombe  and Tomas, but they also have some dubious ones in the squad.   So lets wait till next year and see what actually happens.   I am looking forward to go all out in fantasy rugby next year.