Sense and sensibility

“God bless you Jake!” said the man as he ardently clasped the soon to be former Springbok coach’s hand in both of his.

A scene from the recent triumphal tour around the country?

No, in fact a cameo witnessed during the Absa SA Rugby Player of the Year Banquet in Sandton recently.

A fervent fan wishing to express his support for a coach who discovered that securing rugby’s biggest prize does not translate into job security?

No, nothing of the sort. The sturdy man expressing his heartfelt support for Jake was none other than a union president – a member of the much derided President’s Council of SA Rugby who, we have been led to believe, are roundly united in their eagerness to jettison Jake.

White’s expression was one of barely suppressed irritation. Not only had he been warmly congratulated by SA Rugby president Oregan Hoskins in his opening address but he had been approached by any number of other presidents to tell him that it had not been they who voted against him!

“It’s quite staggering actually,” remarked White as he prepared to compose himself for what might well have been his valedictory television interview on his achievement of having guided the Springboks’ to glory in the Coupe du Monde. “Counting up those who have told me they back me it makes up a majority of the President’s Council!”

We have become used to double speak and a lack of moral fortitude from rugby administrators but it really is quite astounding that so many members of the President’s Council can go along with a decision that, at the very least is premature, but do not have the conviction to tell White to his face of their feelings.

One wonders whether there is some rugby diplomat hidden within the ranks of the men who head the unions who can engender some détente between White and the mother body – especially in the light of minister of sport Makhenkesi Stofile’s overdue concession that racial quotas in national teams have to go in favour of a more concerted, Government-backed (one hopes), drive to create the conditions and opportunities for young black sportsmen to get into games sooner and be nurtured for longer.

Stofile’s statement to the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport, coming so soon after proclamations in a similar vein from president Thabo Mbeki, would appear to herald a new approach in which the creation of facilities and the provision of opportunities is going to supersede cosmetic manipulation of national teams.

It is a process that should have been started years ago and time will tell whether the politicians have the will and patience (plus provide the funds) to see it through, but on another level minister Stofile’s seeming change of heart did highlight the folly of hastily removing White.

It seems incomprehensible that four years of experience, four years of moulding arguably the greatest year in South African rugby history, will simply be allowed to walk out the door when White leaves.

To my mind White is the perfect person to play a role in what could become the “new dispensation.”

White’s greatest skill is arguably the identification of young talent and the ability to manage, hone and nurture youngsters to achieve their full potential.

Would it not have been better to keep him in the system? Perhaps appoint him as the Head of Coaching at SA Rugby with a special brief to take on transformation and development to deliver the black players whose absence from the upper echelons continues to be such an albatross over the good ship SA Rugby?

White has learnt an enormous amount along the road to France 2007 – for instance, he has identified the need for an intensive programme to improve the standard of prop forwards – and would undoubtedly make an outstanding champion of development.

He would also then still be available to assist the incoming coach and be in place to assist with the planning for the next World Cup campaign in New Zealand – possibly being attached to the team as the technical coach and, given the volatility of rugby, being there to pick up the pieces in case of any emergencies that could arise.

There have been problems and White has not been blameless but to cause him to walk away without due deliberation, without exploring all the avenues, would be nothing short of reckless disregard of sound management principles.

Hopefully all the presidents who were so keen to shake Jake’s hand in the full glow of World Cup glory will cause their colleagues to think again.

If they really have the interests of the game at heart it is the least they can do.