Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie is confident Jake White’s shock departure won’t affect the preparation of the Brumbies’ players in the squad for Australia’s rugby Test against South Africa.
In Cape Town for their Rugby Championship clash at Newlands, the Brumbies in the Wallabies camp were rocked by White’s decision to quit Canberra two years before the end of his contract.
Some heard it on the radio and Twitter before being officially told White was out.
He is tipped to take on a coaching role with Durban-based Super Rugby side the Sharks, where he has close links with chief executive John Smit, who was skipper of the 2007 World Cup-winning Springboks under White.
The Brumbies players, including captain Ben Mowen, met White for dinner this week with the coach telling them he wanted to spend more time with his sons.
However Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said White’s decision was based on his disappointment at being overlooked for the Wallabies coaching job that went to McKenzie.
“He was obviously very disappointed in missing out on the Wallabies job and he sees his best opportunity to further his international coaching career is from South Africa,” Fagan said.
McKenzie said the fact White’s decision was made public quickly meant there was little distraction for his men who are trying to win at Newlands for the first time since 1992.
“It popped up as a rumour and then turned into reality pretty quickly so I guess it means it’s sorted in the context that there’s certainty about what’s happening,” McKenzie said.
“What happens from the Brumbies’ perspective won’t be solved tomorrow or the next day in terms of where they go but I think from a clarity point of view from the players here, they know 100 per cent what’s going so it allows them to put it to one side and get on with playing this game.
“I don’t envisage it’s going to have any distraction.”
Assistant coaches Laurie Fisher and Stephen Larkham are taking control of the Brumbies with those two the leading candidates for the head coach role.