Bulls’ four-man shortlist to replace Jake White includes Jacques Nienaber and two former Springboks
The Vodacom Bulls are reportedly hoping to add a former Springbok coach to their shortlist following the departure of Jake White.
White officially parted ways with the Bulls on Friday, following a post-season review. The 61-year-old’s position had come under heavy scrutiny after reports emerged that senior players and coaches had threatened to leave the union if White remained in his role.
Captain Ruan Nortje and fellow Springbok Marcell Coetzee reportedly led a player delegation that expressed dissatisfaction with White’s leadership, citing his public criticism of players and controversial comments following the URC final defeat to Leinster.
Relations between White and his assistants, Chris Rossouw and Andries Bekker, were also said to have broken down completely.
According to Rapport, Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone is leading the process to find White’s replacement as director of rugby and is expected to reach out to former Bok coach Jacques Nienaber to assess his interest in the role.
If the 52-year-old Leinster senior coach indicates a willingness to consider the position, his name could be added to a shortlist that will be presented to the Bulls board.
I will certainly get other inputs as well,” Rathbone told Rapport. “Especially from board members and shareholders. It is difficult to say how long the process will take, but hopefully we can conclude it by the end of the month.”
Nienaber, who guided the Boks to 2023 World Cup glory alongside then director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, is currently under contract with Leinster until June 2026. He remains a sought-after coach and is reportedly also being considered for a potential return to the national team.
Franco Smith is another strong contender for the Bulls job, but the Glasgow Warriors coach is contracted until mid-2025 and is believed to be the frontrunner to replace Gregor Townsend as Scotland head coach.
Other names on the Bulls’ radar include Johann van Graan and Johan Ackermann.
Van Graan’s Bath contract runs until 2030, while Ackermann – currently consulting with the Junior Boks – will be available at the end of July following the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.
Ackermann has been offered a contract extension by SA Rugby, but his future remains undecided.
The Bulls have stressed that White’s departure will not affect the arrival of recent signings such as Handre Pollard, Jan Serfontein, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Paul de Wet, Marvin Orie, Jeandre Rudolph and Dylan de Leeuw, whose contracts were not dependent on the former Bok coach’s presence at Loftus.
