Share

Jake: Aussies smarter than SA

Cape Town - Brumbies coach Jake White believes that Australian rugby players are smarter than their South African counterparts.

According to the IOL Sport website, White revealed in an interview with Forbes Africa magazine that his current crop of players are smarter and more hard-working than any team he has coached.

“I am not saying that South African players are dumb, it’s just that these guys are a lot more educated about a lot of things.

“They are very bright guys in Australia, they won’t just do (what they are told), they want to know why they are doing it and, if they agree, they will do it.

"Whereas in South Africa, it’s very much if you’re the coach and you want it, then we’ll just do it like that.

“It’s more of a curiosity thing.

“It’s an Australian way, but it’s more a Brumbies thing. They have prided themselves... that one thing they have had to do is out-think other teams because... they haven’t always had the same player base or resources that other clubs have.”

White coached the Springbok between 2004 and 2007, finishing his tenure with a victory over England in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final in Paris.



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% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 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