Jake White laments player departures, absences from Bulls

Bulls director of rugby Jake White has complained about a seeming lack of oversight regarding player comings and goings between professional rugby clubs, and especially the proliferation of South African players opting to play overseas while coaches are helpless to stop them.

This on the back of news his loosehead prop Simphiwe Matanzima has signed a deal with the Sharks despite having two years left on his contract with the Bulls – something the Bulls coach learnt in the media.

White was addressing a press conference after announcing a strong team to play against Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship at Loftus on Saturday (kick-off 4pm).

He said “the horse has bolted” for Springbok winger Kurt-Lee Arendse, who would almost certainly not return from his sabbatical at Sagamihara Dynaboars in Japan before the end of the season, though the Bulls sorely wanted him as they prepare for the URC play-offs.

‘Not good for South African rugby’

“Kurt-Lee is probably top of the pops in [his] team in the Japanese league. It’s the same thing I tell you, it’s not good for South African rugby that the players who make the line breaks are playing all over the world and not for our franchises,” White said.

“It’s a very bad thing that you build a guy and you bring him to the club, and you make him who he is and then you don’t have the luxury of having him when you need him the most and at the best time of his career.”

The coach said this was not something he would leave alone. He also argued the point in March when Leinster toured South Africa with Springbok star and former Bulls man, RG Snyman, in their squad.

“There’s a lot of things in the paper that I read that you guys know more than me. I read today that one of my props has signed with another franchise. I didn’t even know that.

“My prop is still under contract for another two years so again, I ask you guys a question: I didn’t know you could sign a guy when he has got two years left. When you’ve got two years left you can’t really chat to a player while he’s still under contract.

Jake White sitting on the outside looking in

“I’ve heard the same about Kurt-Lee Arendse and I’m concerned because there seems to be no watchdog when it comes to who is signing who, when they are going, who is talking to who, who goes overseas, who can stay.”

White shook his head. “All the sort of things are fascinating to sit on the outside and look.”

The Bulls coach said South Africa was a country where rugby and winning were important, but our rugby is suffering because of this issue.

“So sorry to lumber the same point… The player that we had that used to do all those things isn’t here, and that’s not through our design.”