Jake White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jake White

White in 2014
Birth name	Jacob Westerduin
Date of birth	(1963-12-13) 13 December 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth	Johannesburg, South Africa
School	Jeppe High School for Boys
Occupation(s)	Rugby coach
Rugby union career
Teams coached Years Team 2002 South Africa Under-21 2004–2007 South Africa 2012–2013 Brumbies 2013–2014 Sharks 2014 Tonga (Technical Advisor) 2014–2017 Montpellier 2017–2020 Toyota Verblitz 2020–Present Bulls

Jacob Charles White (born 13 December 1963) is a famous rugby union coach from South Africa. He is best known for leading the South African national team, called the Springboks, to victory in the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He also helped them win the 2004 Tri Nations tournament.

Before coaching the main Springbok team, Jake White led the Under-21 Springbok side to win the Under-21 World Cup in 2002. He has also coached several other top rugby teams around the world, including the Brumbies in Australia, the Sharks in South Africa, and Montpellier in France.

In 2011, Jake White was honored by being added to the World Rugby Hall of Fame. This is a special place for people who have made a huge impact on rugby.

Early Coaching Career

Jake White was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He went to Jeppe High School for Boys where he played rugby. He started coaching rugby at high schools. His success with school teams led him to coach provincial (state) level youth teams.

He coached various Under-19 and Under-21 teams. He also helped the Springbok team by analyzing videos of their games. From 1997 to 1999, he was a technical advisor for the Springboks. During this time, the team set a record by winning 17 Tests in a row. In 1999, he was the assistant coach for the Under-21 Springboks. They won a big tournament in Argentina, beating New Zealand in the final.

Becoming Springbok Coach

Jake White became the head coach of the South African national team in early 2004. This happened after the team had a tough time at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. One of his first big decisions was to make John Smit the team captain. This decision was criticized by some, but it turned out to be very successful.

Success in 2004

White's first games as Springbok coach were very successful. They won a series against Ireland and then beat Wales and a team of Pacific Islanders. After these wins, he led South Africa to win their first Tri-Nations trophy since 1998. The Tri-Nations is a major tournament between South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

Because of their great performance, White's contract was extended until after the 2007 Rugby World Cup. At the end of 2004, the Springboks tried to win a "Grand Slam" in Europe. They beat Wales and Scotland but lost to Ireland and England. They finished the year with a win against Argentina.

The Springboks' amazing comeback was recognized with several top awards. The team was named Team of the Year, Jake White was named Coach of the Year, and player Schalk Burger was named Player of the Year.

Challenges in 2005 and 2006

In 2005, the Springboks played well in the Tri Nations. They won three games, just like New Zealand, but New Zealand won the championship on bonus points.

The 2006 season started strong with a big win over Scotland. However, the team then faced many challenges. They lost badly to Australia (49-0), which was one of the lowest points in Springbok history. They also had a tough time against New Zealand. Many key players suffered serious injuries, which made it harder for the team.

Despite the difficulties, Jake White helped the team fight back. They managed to win their last two Tri-Nations games against New Zealand and Australia. These wins helped them regain some respect. The 2006 season was a learning experience for the team. It helped them develop new players and prepare for the World Cup.

World Champions in 2007

Jake White with the William Webb Ellis Cup after winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

The Springboks started 2007 in amazing form. They completely defeated England in two matches. This was important because England was the reigning World Champion and would be in the same group at the World Cup. The fans started to believe in the team again.

At the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks showed their strength. Their first game against Samoa was very physical, but South Africa won convincingly. Their next big match was against England. The Springboks dominated the game with smart tactics and strong defense, winning easily. This victory showed everyone that South Africa was a serious contender.

The Springboks continued to play with great skill and power. They used strong tactical kicks and had the best line-out (a way to restart play) in the world. They also had a dangerous counter-attacking game. They won all their pool matches, including a big win against the USA.

Jake White was very happy with his team's performance. He said they showed great structure and scored many pleasing tries. He believed the team was executing their plans well.

After winning the World Cup final, Jake White was named IRB Coach of the Year for the second time. This was a huge achievement. Shortly after, his contract as Springbok coach ended. He later wrote a book about his journey called In Black and White, The Jake White Story.

After the Springboks

After leading the Springboks to World Cup glory, Jake White continued to work in rugby. He worked for the International Rugby Board (IRB) from 2008 to 2012. He also helped with programs for underprivileged people through the South African Rugby Legends Association.

Coaching the Brumbies (2012–2013)

In 2012, Jake White became the coach of the Brumbies, an Australian team in the Super Rugby competition. Under his coaching, the Brumbies finished first in their conference in 2013. They reached the semi-finals, where they beat the Bulls in a very exciting game. White called it "the greatest the Brumbies have ever had".

The Brumbies then played in the 2013 Super Rugby Final against the Chiefs in New Zealand. They led for much of the game, but the Chiefs came back to win 27–22.

In 2013, the Brumbies also beat the British & Irish Lions team during their tour of Australia. This was a big win because the Lions are a very strong team made up of players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

After his successful time with the Brumbies, Jake White resigned. He wanted to return to South Africa.

Coaching the Sharks (2014)

In October 2013, Jake White became the director of rugby for the Sharks, a South African team. He made some important changes, like making Pat Lambie the main fly-half and Bismarck du Plessis the captain.

The Sharks started the 2014 Super Rugby season very well, winning their first game against the Bulls. They were undefeated for a while, but then faced injuries to key players. Despite this, White led the Sharks to finish at the top of the South African conference. They won their quarter-final match but lost in the semi-finals to the Crusaders.

Just like with the Brumbies, Jake White resigned from the Sharks after only two months. He wanted to find an international coaching role before the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Working with Tonga (2014)

In October 2014, Jake White joined the Tonga as a technical advisor. He helped their head coach, Mana Otai, during their European tour. Tonga won two out of three games on this tour. They were praised for their strong defense and new attacking style. Many believed Jake White was a big reason for these improvements.

Coaching Montpellier (2014–2017)

At the end of 2014, Jake White was announced as the new boss for the French club Montpellier. He was in charge of all coaching aspects for the team. He worked to improve their performance in the French Top 14 league and the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Springbok Coaching Record

Here's a summary of Jake White's coaching record with the Springboks:

By year

By Country

Opponent	Played	Won	Lost	Drew	Win ratio (%)
Argentina	3	3			100
Australia	11	6	5		55
England	7	5	2		71
Fiji	1	1			100
France	4	1	2	1	25
Ireland	4	2	2		50
Namibia	1	1			100
New Zealand	9	3	6		33
Pacific Islanders	1	1			100
Samoa	2	2			100
Scotland	4	4			100
Tonga	1	1			100
United States	1	1			100
Uruguay	1	1			100
Wales	4	4			100
TOTAL	54	36	17	1	67

Key Achievements

Jake White has achieved many great things in his coaching career:

• Winning the Tri Nations in 2004.
• Winning the Rugby World Cup in 2007.
• Helping South Africa move from 6th to 1st in the world rugby rankings.
• Being named IRB International Coach of the Year twice (2004, 2007).
• Achieving the biggest score ever by a Springbok team (134–3 against Uruguay in 2005).
• Winning a home series against France for the first time since 1975.
• Getting the first victory over the All Blacks at Newlands since 1976.
• Winning against Australia and New Zealand in a row for the first time since 1998.
• Having the most successful home record for a South African team, with 11 undefeated tests (later extended to 13).
• Being the first South African team to beat Australia 3 times in the same year since 1971.
• Being the first South African team to beat Australia in Australia since 1998.

Other achievements include:

• Coach of the year 2020 (Bulls)
• Winning the Super Rugby Unlocked (2020)
• Winning the Currie Cup (2020-21)
• Coach of the year 2021 (Bulls)
• Winning the Currie Cup (2021)
• Finishing as runner-up in the 2021–22 United Rugby Championship

See also

In Spanish: Jake White para niños