John Robbie interviews Jake White
22 May 2007 Radio 702
JOHN: 07h17, lets talk Rugby now, we play England on Saturday and we have really started the final build up to the World Cup and we will talk about that. But sadly last week the preparations were sidelined by this row over presidential interference in selection. On the line we have got the Springbok Coach, Jake White. Jake, thank you for talking to us, and good morning.
JAKE WHITE: Thank you John.
JOHN: Is the air cleared now, can you do your job?
JAKE WHITE: Yes, I think so, I think it was a difficult week I think. When I met with them on the weekend John, the presidency, I think what came out there wasn’t pleasant for anybody you know. You know they have given me the assurance now that we can get on with it. We cant have situations like we had last week for anybody, and you know at least I can build up to the World Cup now and make sure that we can first of all try and get ready for England.
JOHN: One of the papers suggest that you and Oregan Hoskins are barely on speaking terms, is that true?
JAKE WHITE: No, that is not true at all. I think, its not in anyone’s interest for the coach not to be on speaking terms with the president, I mean we actually met and I explained to him how I felt, and he explained how he felt and we both agreed in terms of the national interest and in terms of building for the world cup its not going to be any sort of help for anybody if we don’t work through this.
JOHN: The squad that’s been reduced, I mean there was obviously horse-trading there. Is it true that Luke was put in…they said Luke has to be in and you said…and they wanted to drop Bobby Skinstad, you refused and as a result Kabamba Floors got left out. I mean that’s what the report suggested. Is that what happened?
JAKE WHITE: There are so many reports going around, and just to set the record straight. No squad has been cut at all. I mean basically what’s happened, we have still got a 48 man squad. I mean we have now brought in Dereck Hougaard so the squad has actually got bigger after last weekend because of the fact that Andre Pretorius has still got a tweaked hamstring. So as it is now, no one has been cut anyway. All that has happened is that the guys who were here last week that I knew wouldn’t be involved in the first test match, it would be silly of them to walk around the whole week in Bloemfontein, when you have only got 5 days to prepare. As it stands now, it was only fair that all 29 guys who played in the final, were involved in the two provinces in the final would be coming down to Bloemfontein, you couldn’t really cut them before they get here, and as I speak tomorrow some guys will be going home and then we will reassemble on Sunday and we will re-evaluate who has got injuries and then build for the next test match. As I say no one has been cut, no one has been traded off, no one has got an inside lane, it’s a case of now making sure that we get the best 30 from the 48 that we have got now and maybe some boys who haven’t even been picked, a guy like Pedrie Wannenburg who hasn’t even been brought into the squad. You know those guys can still be looked for in terms of the world cup planning.
JOHN: Have you been told to pick Luke in at least one of the test matches. The next 5 test matches?
JAKE WHITE: John, I think, its not a case that I have never been told to do anything, I think there is obviously been an understanding from me and the presidency in terms of the feelings they have, and I have explained to them the feelings I have and working together there is a way in which we can…I am sure we can assist each other making sure that…as I said we have to build towards the world cup and that’s the most important interest.
JOHN: But you say you have never been told, and yet when you went on your own…made your own decision, they put somebody else into the squad, over your head.
JAKE WHITE: Well I think that will sum up what you say, when I have been told. I mean that’s where they put him in, I mean…that was probably where the controversy came. And then we were asked whether we would consider him, and it wasn’t just whether I would consider him, it’s a case of the selecting panel as well, and one just felt at that time that we had enough players in those positions. But as I said, I mean…I think a lot of things have happened since then. I think a lot of people have seen and it hasn’t been comfortable for anybody and I think the most important thing now John is to keep building for the world cup and also more importantly for England. I mean we have got the series and we haven’t had a better opportunity in a long time to play against England at home and do well.
JOHN: But you see again Jake, have you been told therefore that you and the selectors will be able to pick the team you want.
JAKE WHITE: Well John I think what we have been assured now is that we cant afford to have situations like this going forward, I mean…as I said …I mean that’s the bottom line and we have all agreed that in the national interest again, and in terms of the Springbok team that’s got to come first, we have got to make sure we are fair to everybody.
JOHN: But have you been told that you can pick your team?
JAKE WHITE: Well I have given assurance more so this year that I can actually get on with it, you know and that’s a blessing.
JOHN: An assurance that you can get on with it. But you haven’t basically said yes.
JAKE WHITE: Well, yes John, I think if I…if they give me what I want, and they have agreed that they are going to leave me alone and allow me to make choices that I think are in the interest of the team and obviously of the planning going forward to the world cup will then…then they have said I can pick my team, yes.
JOHN: Did you consult your lawyer at any stage regarding your contract in the row over the last week or so?
JAKE WHITE: Well I have been contacting my lawyer since the day that I got my job according to my contract, yes. I mean the reality is we are living in a world here where coaches are obviously…I mean get hired and fired, and obviously I have to make sure that according to my contract one of the things is that I have always got to put in writing any grievance that I have and its got to go directly to the MD. So when you say do I…have I contacted my lawyer, I think I have always contacted my lawyer in terms of just making sure I never ever breach my contract or act outside the constraints of my contract.
JOHN: Did you contact him last week over this issue?
JAKE WHITE: I did. I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t say the wrong thing, or get involved in anything that will put me under pressure.
JOHN: Mike Stofile made the allegation that Luke had been left out by you because of the treatment that his father Cheeky got in the past. What is your reaction to that Jake, because I said knowing you, that’s laughable?
JAKE WHITE: John, I didn’t say, and I suppose it’s also a good forum to talk at, and I have never ever had to hold anything against anybody for what their fathers or parents or whatever has got to do with it. I think that in the day every decision we have made, not me only, but the Rugby selectors, is based on Rugby and they have got Rugby choices and Rugby selections and that’s the criteria we have. I don’t believe that at any stage anyone of the selectors has ever put anything other than Rugby first in terms of making choices for the team.
JAKE WHITE: But Mike Stofile made the allegation. Did you raise this with him Jake? He basically called you a racist or someone stuck in the political past.
JAKE WHITE: Ja, well I mean again, John, as I said I don’t, I cant worry about all those sort of things, I have got enough pressures on my plate without worrying about those sort of issues, I mean what I have done is that I have made sure that I have cleared up all those things with the president. I have explained to him that it becomes uncomfortable, it’s not the way forward, and I am talking about not just that expression, just in terms of…that’s not what he said there, everything. When I have got a job, I want to coach the team and make sure there has been a lot of effort put into it, there’s been a lot of planning going through for the last couple of years and as I said the positive side is we have just won a Super 14 and we have got so much going for us. We have got all the players straight out of test Rugby last year, the Schalk Burgers, the Guthro Steenkamp, the Bakkies Botes’s are all now back again and all is excitement to put them back and see how good we are, you know.
JOHN: Have you spoken to Mike Stofile since last week Jake?
JAKE WHITE: No, I haven’t. I mean again I. as I said it sounds weird but my contract just says…and I deal through the MD and the president of the union, and that’s why I met with Jonathan Stones and Regan Hoskins over the weekend.
JOHN: But it’s a serious allegation made against you Jake. You know you can say don’t worry about these things, but if that allegation was made against me I would take it very personally and be very angry about it. I would want to reply to it.
JAKE WHITE: Well again, what I said, I did reply to that. I replied through my president and through my MD and I think again it wasn’t just about those allegations, it was about everything that was said last week and you know making sure that all the statements that were made and obviously they were all attacking against me and comments about whether he will stay or whether he will go and all that sort of thing. I just made sure that between me and the MD and the president that we are on exactly the same page.
JOHN: Have you selected your side, or do you have your side in mind for Saturday, Jake?
JAKE WHITE: Yes, I have selected it. I mean I obviously have had it for a while now, but obviously the dynamics change John. You know sometimes you get a guy who has got a bump and a bruise and ..Du Preez for arguments sake has now hurt his shoulder and he’s out. Therefore that obviously changes your initial thinking. But yes I think the team that I am going to announce it tomorrow, and hopefully as I said I think we have got a plan in mind here in making sure that we can put some sort of plan against England.
JOHN: Is Luke Watson in it, Jake?
JAKE WHITE: No he won’t be considered for this week, I mean he is very new to all the things that we have done, and as I said one of the most important things is to pick our best team in the beginning to get a bit of momentum and to build on what’s happened in Super 14.
JOHN: Did you ever think of resigning in the last week or so, Jake?
JAKE WHITE: I have never thought of resigning, John. You know I think as I have said, one of the things…I think it would be hell of unfair to a group of players who have been together for a long time. I know what we are doing is the right thing. I know that we have got a chance in winning the world cup, and I know that all the planning that we have put in has made…you know, we have had our ups and downs. I mean last year wasn’t a successful year and was a bit difficult for all of us, but no I have never thought about resigning. The realty is we are literally four months away from winning the world cup.
JOHN: Was there any talk of you being fired in the last week?
JAKE WHITE: No, I am not…when I say talk I am not …
JOHN: To you?
JAKE WHITE: directly to me, no.
JOHN: Is it now over, do you think Jake?
JAKE WHITE: Well I hope so John, I mean …as I have said, I have met them and we have explained our thinking’s and it was pleasant enough to understand that everyone …as I said its got a view and we have got to believe that that view has got to be respected, and at the same time you know you cant hold the coach accountable / responsible unless you give him the team that he wants.
JOHN: Was any apology or remorse expressed by the presidency of the fact that they went over your head?
JAKE WHITE: Yes, I mean to be fair John, it wasn’t a…as I said I think the president himself admitted that it wasn’t the way forward and it wasn’t the way things should have been handled, and I mean we all agreed that that’s not events for South African rugby. We can’t be in a week of a Super 14 final, got two teams playing there and we are more worried about off the field actions as opposed to 2 teams who are about to win the Super 14.
JOHN: Jake thank you for talking to us, good luck.
JAKE WHITE: Thank you John, thank you very much. Cheers.
JOHN: Bye-bye, Jake White the Springbok coach. What do you think about that? 07h27.