‘Who does analysis of coaches?’: Jake White still learning from his mistakes

Bulls director of rugby Jake White was honest in his self-evaluation when discussing how the Bulls have not always got everything right this season, saying he might be to blame for some things, though he was able to reflect on that and grow.

Barring a mediocre EPCR campaign, the Bulls have had a great season. They won 14 of their 18 games in the United Rugby Championship to finish second on the log and secure a home quarter-final – and home semi-final, should they progress.

The Bulls also made history during a tour in Europe, becoming the first South African side to beat Munster at their home ground and only the second to win against Glasgow Warriors in Scotland since the Cheetahs did it in 2019. They were also the first team to beat French side Bayonne at home this season.

But White was referring to a statement he made after the Bulls’ 21–16 loss to Glasgow Warriors in last year’s URC final at Loftus. He said he might be the problem, after the Bulls lost their second URC final that day.

He again admitted that he might be the problem when they lost three games in a row in December last year.

‘Maybe it’s the way I do things’

Now, in the build-up to their quarter-final against Edinburgh, whom they have never lost to at home, White said he still wondered if he was the reason why the Bulls were not always at their best.

“I can’t blame effort… [Manchester City manager] Pep Guardiola went from winning six titles to struggling – what changed? You can say it’s injuries or management of injuries. I look at where we are as a club, and I can’t as a coach then distance myself from the fact that it [could] be me,” he said.

“There are things that I’ve done or selection choices I’ve made, recruitment choices I’ve made that I need to have learned from, that either work or don’t work. Maybe the calls I made…”

White says he is still growing as a coach

He said he could provide an analysis of how well any player tackles on either of his sides, how fast he runs or how many kicks he makes. But who, White asked, analyses the performances of coaches?

“As a coach, you have to grow as well. Who does analysis of coaches? Who analyzes whether what you do works? So I have to reflect: maybe it’s the way I do things, maybe it’s the way I could have changed things.”

White said he was honest with himself in that he could be missing a trick or two, and sometimes it came down to luck. But the coaches who are honest about their own decisions and failings are the ones who grow the most.