26 September 2013

Jake White signs off. Whither the Brumbies?

| johnboy
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In a gut wrenching blow to Brumbies fans word has emerged that Super Coach Jake White has quit the club.

Keo.co.za is reporting he’s taking up a job with the Sharks, or possible Clermont.

The Canberra Times is linking him to the Stormers and blaming the decision on the way the Australian coaching job was handled (which would have lost us his services anyway).

The CT reports the Brumbies plan to announce a replacement in the next two weeks which suggests an internal appointment. Either back to the future with Laurie Fisher or the utterly untested Steve Larkham.

Without White’s plans and patterns it’s hard to see this playing group progressing from the highs of this year to taking the trophy.


UPDATE: The Brumbies have made a statement:

The University of Canberra Brumbies Head Coach Jake White has been released from the final two years of his contract.

White requested the release on Friday from South Africa and has since been in touch with the UC Brumbies Chief Executive, Andrew Fagan and senior players.

Fagan was disappointed to hear White would not be returning to Canberra to honour the final two years of his contract.

“I’d have to say that I was shocked when Jake called to tell me that he was intending to stay in South Africa,” Fagan said.

“We are well into our planning for next season and have lots of great things happening on and off the field as we build on the momentum of making this year’s final.

“To have Jake decide that he wants to pursue his international coaching ambitions from South Africa at this late stage is disappointing. He has achieved a great deal for the UC Brumbies’ and we felt he certainly had more to offer.”

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Roundhead89 said :

So those stories about him not liking Canberra and wanting to get out of his contract at the start of the year – which were vigorously denied at the time – were true. I guess sipping Graham Beck Brut in the corporate box on The Veldt whilst putting The Boks through their paces beats Griffith Oval any day. Fellas, I was only joking a few weeks back when I said that if the Raiders brought back Neil Henry as coach it would be like the Brumbies bringing back Laurie Fisher. The Raiders managed to get out of their coaching problem by appointing Sticky, looks like the Brumbies might just go back down that road to hell.

I stand corrected. He wanted out of the Brumbies at the start of *last year*, just a few months after signing on as coach. It demonstrates that “his heart wasn’t in it” right from the start, and he merely saw the Brumbies as a transitional lounge to his next national coaching job. When he didn’t get the Wallabies job he took his bat and ball (or his mouthguard and Gilbert) and went home.

And as for UC’s involvement, perhaps this should be a lesson to educational institutions about hitching their star to a professional sporting team and pouring money into it with the hope that they will remain on top. It may have been appealing to prospective students to study there when the Brumbies were riding high under the ex-Boks coach; with probably Fisher as coach next season and the team back to bumping along on the bottom of the table, it doesn’t seem all that attractive now.

Will Jake White keep his professorial position at UC? Or will the Jake White scholarship continue at UC…or will it even begin? Does UC still have to contribute $5 million to the Brumbies facility?

crabb said :

JB, I hope your spelling of wither is by mistake and not deliberate, but I fear it may be appropriate.

Bwahahahah…I love it when people do this sort of thing on the internet.

JB, I hope your spelling of wither is by mistake and not deliberate, but I fear it may be appropriate.

Is that Nuci-something bloke available?

Actually Larkham coached the Brumbies 7 side and i thought he did quite well there. Certainly in one game he replaced Henry Speight who was having a good game but they were a man down and needed a better defender on the field.

I’d rather Larkham than Fisher though.

It sucks but I wish Jake White all the best & thank you for the incredible job you did with the Brumbies.

For the love of God, please DO NOT replace him with Laurie Fisher or Stephen Larkham. Laurie had his chance & Larkham is way too green.

The Brumbies are one of the best provincial Rugby teams in the world. They can attract almost anyone in world Rugby to coach the side.

I’ve been feeling like I’m going through the seven stages of grief right now.

Currently transiting Anger.

Sounds like Ben Mowen went through Bargaining last night and Brumbies management have gotten at least as far as depression if not acceptance.

Robbie Deans is out of work right now…

So those stories about him not liking Canberra and wanting to get out of his contract at the start of the year – which were vigorously denied at the time – were true. I guess sipping Graham Beck Brut in the corporate box on The Veldt whilst putting The Boks through their paces beats Griffith Oval any day. Fellas, I was only joking a few weeks back when I said that if the Raiders brought back Neil Henry as coach it would be like the Brumbies bringing back Laurie Fisher. The Raiders managed to get out of their coaching problem by appointing Sticky, looks like the Brumbies might just go back down that road to hell.

Holden Caulfield10:02 am 26 Sep 13

What a bloody sook, haha!

A selection comments from Andrew Fagan via the ABC666 twitter feed:

“Brumbies CEO Andrew Fagan: new coach will likely be Fisher or Larkham. White was planning internal succession – this is bringing it forward.

“Andrew Fagan: I don’t expect a single player will move on as a result of White’s departure; no get-out clauses in player or staff contracts

“Andrew Fagan: White thinks most of his 4 year plan achieved in 2 years; Fisher & Larkham do majority of coaching; head coaches in waiting”

Now with the Brumbies’ official statement.

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