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Like all rugby fans, I too was shocked but disappointed that Jake White announced his departure from the Brumbies just three weeks out from the start of the Super Rugby campaign.
But unlike some, and perhaps most of the fans out of there, my disappointment didn’t turn into resentment or anger, but rather gratitude – for Australian rugby (and in particularly Brumbies rugby) is in much better shape having had Jake White at the helm.
So why exactly did I write this article?
Because I’m perplexed at how ungrateful and vile the comments towards White have been from Australian and Brumbies fans since his departure.
Rugby union has always been a gentleman’s game, and the treatment of Jake White by some of the fans on various websites and social media is quite unbecoming of the chivalry that ought to be synonymous with this beautiful game.
Heck, I’ll even go as far as to say that we’re acting like a bunch of whinging league fans, which may well be the ultimate insult for some of us here!
The circumstances regarding his departure are unfortunate. Yes, Jake White has done a runner and left before fulfilling his contract. Of that, there is no doubt.
But instead of laying the boot in him for not honouring the last two years of his contract, why not celebrate what he has done to rejuvenate the club?
This was a club that was looking at a decade of oblivion post the golden-era.
Instead, Jake took them out of the wilderness and into the Super Rugby final, and in the process created a team of stars; many of whom would go on to fulfil their dreams and become Wallabies.
The most telling comment may perhaps come from ex-head coach and current assistant of the Brumbies, Laurie Fisher.
On Twitter, he urged the mass to calm down to keep the faith:
Stay chilled folks, sun will still rise tomorrow, and Brumbies will be a massive presence in Super Rugby 2014 and beyond. #keepthefaith
— Laurie Fisher (@LordLaurie58) September 25, 2013
Why the optimism, one may ask? Well it’s easy to see why. Under the system that Jake White has implemented, there is much to look forward to.
The groundwork and the foundation have been laid in place. He has recruited well, identified players of potential and implemented them into the Brumbies’ system.
The young players are well-motivated, well-coached and well-captained.
Around him he had the genius of Laurie Fisher and Stephen Larkham, and through this, he ensured that there is life after him and that a rite of passage, or rather a succession plan is in place.
Australian rugby has indeed lost one of its best assets. Jake White is a proud man, and a proud South African – of that there is no doubt. But there was never any doubt that is, and was ambitious and longed for the Wallabies head coach position.
But his timing was wrong – all wrong. It was always going to be Ewen McKenzie – be it right or wrong.
McKenzie, for all his flaws, such as his willingness to openly criticise Robbie Deans, has been a loyal and true servant of Australian rugby.
Five years at the Waratahs and four years at the Reds was always going to trump one and a half years (at the time) at the Brumbies.
And so with the prized and coveted Wallabies position gone, is it fair to grill Jake White over his decision to leave?
The cash-strapped ARU was never going to sack McKenzie – even if he goes through the rest of the year winless.
It simply can’t afford to keep head coaches on the payroll with limited finances, and more so with the uncertainty over the future of Super Rugby, and the (expensive) proposal of a rejuvenated third-tier rugby competition.
That perhaps was enough for White to know the end game was nigh and his time was up.
For a man of many accomplishments, including the 2007 Rugby World Cup and beating the Lions with an understrength Brumbies side, he wasn’t going to play second fiddle to a man who is much less decorated than he was.
And so closes the chapter on one of the great ‘what-if’s’ of Australian rugby.
Did the ARU make a grave error of judgement by passing over the decorated White over a man who has paid his dues in McKenzie?
What would have become of next year – had White stayed, could he have taken the Brumbies to Super Rugby success?
Or perhaps, did White know something more than he was letting on?
For all the conspiracy theories out there, could it be possible that the SARU made up its mind to replace Super Rugby with the European club tournament, and White was interested in being a part of that, rather than a trans-Tasman tournament with New Zealand? Perhaps.
But what is for certain is that Jake White does not deserve the wrath of Australian public.
Much like what Guus Hiddink did with the Socceroos, White captured the imagination of his players and made them believe again.
For all the grim and dire predictions of Australian rugby this year, the Brumbies become that one shining beacon of light that reminded the Australian rugby public that all is not lost.
It reminded us that just because a team doesn’t have champions, doesn’t mean it can’t be a championship team. Wise values that perhaps the Wallabies could adopt.
So thank you Jake White. Despite the unceremonious exit, you have revived Australia’s proudest rugby club, uncovered talents that will serve Australian rugby for many years to come, and most of all, made Australian rugby stronger than what it was before.
And for that, we, the Australian rugby public, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.