Unthinkable a few months back. I notice the drumbeat for this solution is just starting. And why not, rather than a whiner like Deans, they'd have the clearest thinking most progressive coach in the game. Did I hear Sam Mussabini?
Must admit thought has crossed my mind recently - only thing I'd say Ewen is the odds on due to success @ S15 with the Reds and I think concensus amongst Aussie public that would prefer an Aussie coaching after Deans' lack of success.
With regard to Jake White - its not like he reinvented the wheel @ the Brumbies really he has just re-invented the winning culture by bringing back ex-players / ex-coach to his 'team'.
I would say he is an excellent man manager - which seems to be the biggest thing lacking from Deans' skill set - something Graham Henry has and all successful coaches require.
I think Wallabies could do a lot worse than JAke but think Ewen is a shoe-in....
Most progressive coach in rugby bwhaahaahaaaaa
Redsman, so good comments. I think a lot of folks share your thoughts on the matter.
Redsman, so good comments. I think a lot of folks share your thoughts on the matter.
Deans is coming under pressure and if Jake wins the super comp well who knows. Brumbies are a dark horse. His achievements with a group of players who had not performed has been noteworthy. Winning it with these guys would be momentous.
Long shot though but unless it happens Jake will not realistically be the next Wallaby coach
Sapster wake up please!
Latex, I take it you have achieved more than Jake in so far as rugby development and coaching goes? Why else would you have the knowledge and experience to make such a silly comment.
Look lunatwat, Jake White was an average coach with a crap record, a record that reads 25% wins against France, 33% wins against NZ, 50% against Ireland and 55% against Oz - is that the mark of a great coach.
With the 2 years leading up to the WC, his record was so bad that he nearly got the boot and should have. He enlisted Eddie Jones to save his arse and won the WC thanks to a great side, Eddie Jones and the easiest route to the final.
All facts you blinkered lot, tend to ignore - but glad to be of service
I think it would be a dam shame if we lose Jake to the Aussies, Saru really messed it up, but I think Ewen Mckenzie has a proven track record and did reasombly well at the Waratahs before completely transforming the Reds from no hopers to a winning team, all in the space of 2 years. Although, this season has been tougher on him.
Deans has been exposed at this level and I have come to believe that its not so much the coach that always leads to an successful team, but the people behind him. Look at the fantastic structures that the Crusaders have. An average coach can take the lead at the Crusaders and he will still be successful.
As for Jake, Saffex, I think any coach will take a 50% win record against New Zealand. Also you have blown the whole thing out of context, he played a weakend team against those countries to get the guys conditioned for the world cup.
Um thats 33% wins against NZ and please cut out the stupid excuses, thats a record spanning 4 years
Yes and does not also take into account the weak side Jake inherited. No one can possibly argue against the fact he left the Boks far stronger than he began with. If he had continued his winning record would have no doubt soared.
Simple facts sapster. Get the big picture right please. No more twaddle etc.
Beeno not impressed with the sapsters lack of rugby acumen!
Funny that, I happen to be talking a colleague about the possibility the other day.....put it this way, the Ozzies are pretty damn good at grabbing opportunity.so it wouldn't surprise me at all.
Inheriting a weak side my arse, he had the likes of CJ, Steenkamp, Smit, Bakkies, Matfield, Schalk, Joe, Rossouw, Juan Smith, du Preez, Joubert, Fourie, Jean, Habana, Percy etc in their prime - the same stage Meyer has Etzebeth and Coetzee for instance........he had plenty to work with.
Like the Poms, the Aussies will not be stupid enough to have Jake as their coach, mark my words
He inherited a side that won one significant test in 03....against Oz at home. And lost 5....3 against NZ, on the trot....Oz and the Poms. With all the players you mention. Jake made a team out of them.
Monty was overseas and ignored, Jake had the vision to bring him back...as he did with OS.
Sapp your undying love for Watson totally clouds your judgement. Jake's record with the broken Brumbies is shockingly better than any reasonable fan could have expected, the fact that you can't even give him that exposes your pure bias.
What I am saying is that its complete bullshit that he inherited a poor side, he inherited a fantastic group of young players in their prime.
I also dont buy into this Brumbies squad that lacks players. It is a side that has plenty of young, much like the Stormers, Bulls, hell all the S15 squads have changed drastically post WC, the Brumbies are anything but alone. Hell they lost to the Reds in their last game.
Watson has nothing to do with it, I never rated Jake then and I dont rate him now. I dont think he handled Watson professionally but then again Luke never played his part. I just expected more from our coach. Luke Watson I can assure you does not by any stretch define my impression of Jake. I see him for what he is and was. He had an average record for the Boks against major sides but England and Wales and thats a fact.
Anyway who cares about Jake, he will never coach the Boks again and that works for me. I dont see him coaching the Aussies either, McKenzie will get the job and rightly so
Saffex, the very same young team that he nurtured at under 21 level with whom he won the IRB u/21 title. At the time Smit wasn't the first choice hooker and Matfield was only getting on the scene, yes de Villiers was around but just started his test career, and it was White that plucked Habana out of lions team whom nobody even heard of and selected him to tour to New Zealand, he then debut against England with a sensational try with a display of raw pace. At the time he was a 13, but White knew this kid had talent. He only debut for the lions in 2004. So please stop being so ignorant and start looking at facts. Du Randt was retired, Monty was playing overseas and the general public, especially the bulls, hated him, smit wasn't the best hooker.
So please tell me what talent did he work with? Joe van Niekerk, Barry, Joubert, Jaco van der West Huizen are all players that faded.
He is the same person that fast tracked Francious Steyn and JP Pietersen. Both of these players are only 24 now, so how could he have inherited these players.
He built the 2007 team to peak at the 2001 world cup which got ruined by Saru and a quota coach.
Well they were obvious calls to make just like Etzebeth and Coetzee have been now. Jake got these guys at the start of their careers, perfect time to get them. JP turns 27 soon so not sure where you get 24 from.
Its just complete bullshit that he inherited a poor side. Like the AB's we always have depth in talent. Jake was useless at recognising talent outside the obvious. Hell we had to endure Albert v/d Bergh as our sub lock for how many years, not to mention the return of Ackerman and Snyman on the wing. We had class young locks like Hottie Louw, Davids and Geo Cronje, instead we had a stringbean in Albert or a 38 year old Ackerman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JP_Pietersen
Born 12 July 1986 (age 25)
Frans Steyn
14 May 1987 (age 25)
Fact: Habana didn't play a single super rugby game and yet made his test debut, neither did Frans Steyn.
As for Coetzee, Estebeth and Kolisi, they have all played more than 10 super rugby games. So picking them are much easier, but to pick an unknown player speaks volumes
I had forgotten that KC.....it makes a strong statement.
Well no doubt Meyer would have selected Etzebeth and Coetzee on the strength of CC rugby if he had been appointed Bok coach say after the S15.
Its not hard to spot talent now is it, if you actually take the trouble to watch matches which one would suspect and Bok coach would do then spotting talent is an easy and very pleasurable task
Here are some facts for you Dave. Jake inhereted a fat, bloated and poor conditioned group of players that were demoralised and the laughing stock of world rugby. Added to this we had little depth and NO winning culture to speak of. It was the darkest era in the history of Bok rugby. First and foreost Jake had to get the ball rolling and build a TEAM, condition his players, build depth, negotiate political obstacles and start overturning long records of defeats. It was a process Dave, a process that Jake succeeded in doing. The ONLY poor year from a results standpoint was 2006, and that's what dragged his percentage down, yet even there he made very important changes and progressed the team. Though it should be noted the extensive injury list to key players. In short Dave, your take on Jake is a joke, it was always a joke, based on nothing but contempt and insanity because he would not pick one of the most poisonous and substandard players the Boks have ever had the misfortune to field.
Now onto the Brumbies. You say Ewan is better? What did he do once a few players dropped off the team sheet? Struggled badly. I challenge you all to look at any S15 side, pick out the 16 best players in the team and remove them. Then tell me whether you think they could do what the Brumbies have been doing. Not only this, but he does not avenues to explore like in NZ or SA where you can at least pick up a few players easily to fill some spots. What Jake has done this year has been the biggest statement made by a coach that I have ever seen in the game. He is a fine technical coach, exceptional man-manager, a good eye for detail, has a good understanding of the culture of a side and is one of the best analysts in the game. A complete package.
Oh, and Dave. When asked about his contributions in 2007, Jones stated he didn't do a lot. But then, it was obvious that the Boks were always playing Jake's brand of rugby. The ONLY real change that sparked life into the side was Frans' introduction at inside centre.
Latex does not like Jake -period. Quoting massaged statistics where pples are not compared to apples further derails the credibility of the argument. Many people (including brother Latex) said Jake will fail at the Brumbies. Well, by all accounts he has achieved wonders with a bunch of youngsters and the odd old hand.
