Just when we thought Jake White was out of the rugby scene, he pulls us back in! The 61-year-old, known for his stint with the Springboks, has snagged a new gig, not too far from the field, but close enough to smell the fresh grass. Starting 2026, White will be doling out his wisdom at Selborne College in East London as a rugby consultant. After his departure from the Bulls earlier this year, it seems White's not quite done with rugby just yet.
Chatting it up with the Daily Dispatch, White shared his enthusiasm:
"I’m excited to see what rugby looks like there now since I started coaching schools rugby years ago,"
he said. It's a homecoming of sorts for White, who kicked off his illustrious career amidst the schoolboy shouts and whistles. His mission? To bolster an already impressive rugby program at Selborne. With the Eastern Cape's reputation for churning out top-tier rugby talent, White's looking forward to digging into this fertile ground.
His connection to the school isn’t entirely out of the blue. Phiwe Nomlomo, a former collaborator at Loftus and one-time coach of Selborne's 1st XV, played matchmaker.
"Phiwe told me they’d like my input and that someone like me could add a lot of value,"
White recounted. He wasn't just going to take Nomlomo's word for it though; White did his due diligence and paid the school a visit, sealing the deal on his new role.
But wait, there’s more! Selborne College is also welcoming Derek Page, an alumnus and rugby aficionado, as the new director of rugby. It looks like the school is pulling out all the stops to ensure their rugby legacy continues to thrive.
Jake White, with his heart still firmly attached to schoolboy rugby, reminisced about the purity of the game at this level: the traditions, the jerseys, the community vibe—it’s all part of the allure. Everyone, it seems, wants a slice of this quintessential schoolboy rugby pie. And with White's return, Selborne College might just be serving up something special on the rugby field come 2026.
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Just when we thought Jake White was out of the rugby scene, he pulls us back in! The 61-year-old, known for his stint with the Springboks, has snagged a new gig, not too far from the field, but close enough to smell the fresh grass. Starting 2026, White will be doling out his wisdom at Selborne College in East London as a rugby consultant. After his departure from the Bulls earlier this year, it seems White's not quite done with rugby just yet.
Chatting it up with the Daily Dispatch, White shared his enthusiasm:
"I’m excited to see what rugby looks like there now since I started coaching schools rugby years ago,"
he said. It's a homecoming of sorts for White, who kicked off his illustrious career amidst the schoolboy shouts and whistles. His mission? To bolster an already impressive rugby program at Selborne. With the Eastern Cape's reputation for churning out top-tier rugby talent, White's looking forward to digging into this fertile ground.His connection to the school isn’t entirely out of the blue. Phiwe Nomlomo, a former collaborator at Loftus and one-time coach of Selborne's 1st XV, played matchmaker.
"Phiwe told me they’d like my input and that someone like me could add a lot of value,"
White recounted. He wasn't just going to take Nomlomo's word for it though; White did his due diligence and paid the school a visit, sealing the deal on his new role.But wait, there’s more! Selborne College is also welcoming Derek Page, an alumnus and rugby aficionado, as the new director of rugby. It looks like the school is pulling out all the stops to ensure their rugby legacy continues to thrive.
Jake White, with his heart still firmly attached to schoolboy rugby, reminisced about the purity of the game at this level: the traditions, the jerseys, the community vibe—it’s all part of the allure. Everyone, it seems, wants a slice of this quintessential schoolboy rugby pie. And with White's return, Selborne College might just be serving up something special on the rugby field come 2026.