Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Former national coach Jake White cannot foresee the Springboks being a force at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
READ: Day 1 as Rassie reports for SA Rugby duty
The Boks have endured two torrid seasons under the tutelage of Allister Coetzee, who is reportedly set to be sacked as head coach.
Under Coetzee’s guidance the Springboks have won only 10 of 23 Tests for a meagre win percentage of 43%.
White however feels there’s not enough time for the next coach to turn the Boks into World Cup contenders.
“The rugby romantic will say it can be done, because it has been done in the past, but I don’t think there’s enough time between now and the 2019 Rugby World Cup for the Springboks to turn it around,” White wrote via a column for All Out Rugby.
“I’m not saying it’s impossible for South Africa to be a force in Japan in 22 months’ time, but I’d say that line of thinking is more for the dreamer than for the guy who understands the quality of the competition you’re up against at a World Cup.
“England coach Eddie Jones has compiled a dossier on the All Blacks based on the feedback he got from his British & Irish Lions players - that’s the level of homework that’s going on, so you can’t just arrive with two years to go and think you can catch up.”
The late Kitch Christie coached the Springboks to World Cup success in 1995 after only getting the job late the previous year.
But White believes it was a different time in the game.
“That was when the game was still moving from being an amateur sport into professionalism, and South African rugby was probably more professional than most other countries at that time.”
CLICK HERE to read Jake White’s full column on the All Out Rugby website
