It’s about the cup, not me – White

SPRINGBOK coach Jake White says it’s about winning the Rugby World Cup (RWC) and not whether he stays or whether he goes.

The coach was on Tuesday caught unawares by speculation that he is set to cut his ties with South African rugby following Saturday night’s RWC final and, not for the first time in his career, was forced to put out a flash media fire. Media reports in both South Africa and Britain speculated that White had already made the decision to walk away from Springbok rugby and he was at pains to try to pull the focus back to his team’s bid to win the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time when they play defending champions England in the Stade de France on Saturday.”I think what I need to stress that this has happened to me before – that people have speculated about me going abroad,” he said.”My contract ends on the 31st of December this year so I’m still employed by SA Rugby until the end of the year and to be fair the only goal I’m thinking about right now is winning the Rugby World Cup,” added White.Although it seems a foregone conclusion that White will walk away from employers with whom he has clashed – especially if, as is rumoured, his forthcoming autobiography is highly critical of SA Rugby’s hierarchy – the man who has guided the Boks to the Final says winning that game is his only goal.”All this talk about me leaving to coach in different countries is just speculative — in fact there’s hardly a country that doesn’t have a coach that I haven’t been connected to,” he said during an interview at the team’s hotel in Paris.”It may be an attempt to side-track the focus of the team, but I can tell you that the team are fully aware that we are here to win the World Cup,” he emphasised.Pressed on speculation that he has already made the decision to quit White said: “It’s very difficult in the middle of the World Cup, with the team in the final, to decide whether you’re staying or going.My whole focus since taking on the job has been to win the Rugby World Cup and I think when you’re in the middle of this to think about anything else would be silly.”As it stands now I’m contracted to the end of the year.I love coaching the Springboks, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, I really enjoy this job; it’s something that’s been deep inside me for a long time now and it’s been part of my life for four years.”The only focus now is not whether I stay or go, or where I go to, the only thing that matters is that we just want to make sure we prepare everything we can for the greatest game of our careers on Saturday.”White said rumours about his future were unlikely to distract the team.”The team are probably used to the fact that every second week there’s something that tries to derail the whole campaign.They know what they have to do.They’re focused on winning the Rugby World Cup.”We have spoken about it on numerous occasions.There was talk about players not being able to play (for the Springboks) if they went abroad, there’s been talk about players retiring, there’s been talk about who’s going to be taking over as the new coach.”All I can say to the public is that our goal is still the same as when we left.We’re here to win the Rugby World Cup and we’re doing everything we can to be utterly focused on the one more game we have left to play.”All I can do is stress that I am the Springbok coach, I’m the Springbok coach until the 31st of December this year – sure there is speculation going round, every week there’s a story about some or other country looking for a coach, but all I can stress, I’m loving the Springbok job I really want to be part of Springbok rugby, I’ve enjoyed every minute of being part of this team and the most important thing is we want to win the World Cup on Saturday.”I haven’t had formal discussions with any country but obviously you get all these calls and enquiries from the Press about whether I would consider staying on and I’ve made it quite clear; once you’ve coached international rugby it is part of you, it goes into your blood.I’ll not deny that if I do not get the Springbok job I’ll look at other offers.”But no matter what people say out there, no matter what speculation appears in the Press, no matter how many jobs come up in the next couple of weeks, there is only one job at hand and that is making sure we win the World Cup on Saturday.””When we left South Africa it was Mission World Cup and it still is.When I get back there will be a review and there are going to be discussions about where we are and where we’re going.”Before we left President Mbeki said to us ‘the bottom line is forget about the political agendas go out there and win the tournament,’ and now we’re in the final and just 80 minutes away from doing it.That’s all that’s driving the team and I right now and afterwards? … I’m sure whatever is meant to be will be.”SuperSport ZoneMedia reports in both South Africa and Britain speculated that White had already made the decision to walk away from Springbok rugby and he was at pains to try to pull the focus back to his team’s bid to win the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time when they play defending champions England in the Stade de France on Saturday.”I think what I need to stress that this has happened to me before – that people have speculated about me going abroad,” he said.”My contract ends on the 31st of December this year so I’m still employed by SA Rugby until the end of the year and to be fair the only goal I’m thinking about right now is winning the Rugby World Cup,” added White.Although it seems a foregone conclusion that White will walk away from employers with whom he has clashed – especially if, as is rumoured, his forthcoming autobiography is highly critical of SA Rugby’s hierarchy – the man who has guided the Boks to the Final says winning that game is his only goal.”All this talk about me leaving to coach in different countries is just speculative — in fact there’s hardly a country that doesn’t have a coach that I haven’t been connected to,” he said during an interview at the team’s hotel in Paris.”It may be an attempt to side-track the focus of the team, but I can tell you that the team are fully aware that we are here to win the World Cup,” he emphasised.Pressed on speculation that he has already made the decision to quit White said: “It’s very difficult in the middle of the World Cup, with the team in the final, to decide whether you’re staying or going.My whole focus since taking on the job has been to win the Rugby World Cup and I think when you’re in the middle of this to think about anything else would be silly.”As it stands now I’m contracted to the end of the year.I love coaching the Springboks, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, I really enjoy this job; it’s something that’s been deep inside me for a long time now and it’s been part of my life for four years.”The only focus now is not whether I stay or go, or where I go to, the only thing that matters is that we just want to make sure we prepare everything we can for the greatest game of our careers on Saturday.”White said rumours about his future were unlikely to distract the team.”The team are probably used to the fact that every second week there’s something that tries to derail the whole campaign.They know what they have to do.They’re focused on winning the Rugby World Cup.”We have spoken about it on numerous occasions.There was talk about players not being able to play (for the Springboks) if they went abroad, there’s been talk about players retiring, there’s been talk about who’s going to be taking over as the new coach.”All I can say to the public is that our goal is still the same as when we left.We’re here to win the Rugby World Cup and we’re doing everything we can to be utterly focused on the one more game we have left to play.”All I can do is stress that I am the Springbok coach, I’m the Springbok coach until the 31st of December this year – sure there is speculation going round, every week there’s a story about some or other country looking for a coach, but all I can stress, I’m loving the Springbok job I really want to be part of Springbok rugby, I’ve enjoyed every minute of being part of this team and the most important thing is we want to win the World Cup on Saturday.”I haven’t had formal discussions with any country but obviously you get all these calls and enquiries from the Press about whether I would consider staying on and I’ve made it quite clear; once you’ve coached international rugby it is part of you, it goes into your blood.I’ll not deny that if I do not get the Springbok job I’ll look at other offers.”But no matter what people say out there, no matter what speculation appears in the Press, no matter how many jobs come up in the next couple of weeks, there is only one job at hand and that is making sure we win the World Cup on Saturday.””When we left South Africa it was Mission World Cup and it still is.When I get back there will be a review and there are going to be discussions about where we are and where we’re going.”Before we left President Mbeki said to us ‘the bottom line is forget about the political agendas go out there and win the tournament,’ and now we’re in the final and just 80 minutes away from doing it.That’s all that’s driving the team and I right now and afterwards? … I’m sure whatever is meant to be will be.”SuperSport Zone