Vodacom Bulls director of rugby Jake White has made his much-anticipated return to Loftus Versfeld having fully recovered from surgery that saw him sidelined for four weeks.

He is reunited with his troops who too, return from a two-week break. The Bulls unit assembled at Loftus on Thursday preparing for a mouth-watering run towards the end of the season.

White is on the comeback trail from a near-death experience that reignited his rugby fire. On January 8, he went under the knife in a two-hour operation to salvage his small intestine.

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“It is great to have Jake return. We are happy to not only see him back where he belongs but to have him with us means that he is back at full health and that is comforting knowing the tough period he went through,” Rathbone says in an official statement.

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“His influence on everyone at Loftus is immeasurable and knowing that he is back, certainly does give all of us an extra kick in our step.

“I know he is raring to go after what has probably felt a long time away from what he loves doing. We are incredibly lucky to have his calibre of coach a part of the Bulls family and know that there is more great things ahead for us all, with him here. Welcome back, Jake!”

White will assemble The Herd for URC action as well as a round of 16 trip in the Champions Cup, with the Bulls’ first assignment a highly anticipated derby against the DHL Stormers at Loftus on February 18.