Kings change tune on Jake White

The Southern Kings hierarchy seems to be at cross purposes when it comes to what former Springbok coach Jake White’s status or “involvement” is at the Pro14 franchise.

Six weeks ago, the Pro14 franchise began talks with the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning coach that, City Press was reliably informed, were connected to its long search for a head coach. However, when asked what the status of the negotiations were on Friday, deputy chairperson Rory Stear bizarrely claimed that White was never in the running to be Kings head coach.

“We weren’t ever in detailed conversations with Jake White about being the head coach of the Kings,” he began.

“Rather, we’ve been taking advice from him about the recruitment of potential coaches for the future, and anything that he could help us with,” said Stear.

“To my knowledge, my chairperson, Loyiso Dotwana, talks to him once or twice a week after matches, but there’s no truth to the claims that Jake will come and coach the Kings. It’s not even a paid role, it’s just an advisory role. He’s just interested in us improving. Swys de Bruin has a paid consultative role with us.”

Asked why the embattled franchise was not trying to hire White given his availability, Stear said: “He just finished in Japan at the end of January and, at the time, he was telling me he wanted to spend some time at home, and go fishing and hunting.

“It would be a coup if he wanted to come to the Kings, but I think much bigger teams than us would also be interested in him.

“He’s been unbelievably helpful and generous with his time, but the conversation has never gone to whether he would come to coach the Kings on a full-time basis.”

Stear’s version of the nature of White’s discussions with the Kings is in direct contradiction with that of Dotwana, who, when asked via text message last week what had happened to their talks with the former Bok coach, replied: “Still under discussion.”

To further back up the idea that there was an expectation within the Kings that White would finally replace Deon Davids, a franchise insider confirmed that director of rugby Robbi Kempson had told his staff that it looked as though the former Sharks, Brumbies and Montpellier coach would be joining them.

Asked what the new strategy was to get a head coach after borderline comical false starts last year, Stear said: “We take advice from Jake White and Swys de Bruin and a wide variety of other people we talk to. Kempson is very involved as well in trying to identify an appropriate individual.

“We’ve got a couple of names in mind I wouldn’t like to discuss because they are still employed. But I do think that Robbi has done a nice job in bringing support staff who would be strong for any new coach coming in.”

The Kings have been luckless in their search for a head coach since they decided they wanted to part ways with Davids, who is now the Springboks’ new forwards coach.

Their initial technical committee tasked with deciding on who the new coach should be was disbanded after a board member accused a member, former Springbok coach Nick Mallett, of being racist.

Having completed the interviews, the selection process was derailed at first because preferred candidate Rory Duncan withdrew from the race.

Then it descended into a farce when a populist drive tried to have former Bok coach Peter de Villiers appointed, just as his qualification came under scrutiny from the panel’s adviser on coaching certificates.

And when they finally thought they had an agreement with Samoa coach Steve Jackson, he also pulled out, citing his dissatisfaction with the lack of confidentiality of the process.

The problem is that the Kings, who, at the time of writing, had won just one of their 12 Pro14 games this season, looks like a team that could use a head coach.

The fact that White has a reputation for turning uncompetitive teams like the Kings into winning sides makes this seeming lack of interest in his services intriguing.

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