Share

White hails Montpellier's France-Springboks mix

Paris - South Africa coach Jake White on Saturday hailed his explosive mix of French and Springbok talent which is sparking Montpellier's charge to the Top 14 title.

White, who coached the Springboks to the 2007 World Cup title, watched his side crush Grenoble 51-10 with a bonus point, seven-try romp which kept Montpellier in second spot in the table, two off the lead held by Clermont.

They are already assured of a place in the end-of-season shake-up and have made the European Challenge Cup final where they will face Harlequins next month.

"This squad proves there is a fine cohesion between the French and South African players. This is not a surprise for me -- only for you," said 53-year-old White.

There are currently 12 South African players in the Montpellier squad and seven started Saturday's game.

But only four French players featured in the match-day 15 alongside two Georgians, a New Zealander and a Fijian.

"I am happy with this victory," added White. "It's good for confidence, for the standings and for our chances of winning the Challenge Cup.

"Before the season, if you had said that we'd be in a European final and in the top six, we would have taken that. Now we must continue to win to avoid having to play in the play-offs."

If Montpellier, who have never won the French title, maintain a top-two spot to the end of the regular season then they would go directly to the semi-finals.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1214 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1413 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2142 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE