Ex-Springboks coach Jake White’s blunt warning to Australia in build up to Lions series

Bulls director of rugby Jake White believes Australian rugby is heading in the wrong direction which could result in the Wallabies’ “humiliation” against the British and Irish Lions in 2025.

He issued his views in a RugbyPass column following Australia’s 33-7 defeat against South Africa at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.

White lamented the current state of Australian rugby which has gone on a downward spiral in recent years. The Wallabies are set to face the British & Irish Lions in Australia next year before the country will host the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Ranked ninth in World Rugby’s rankings list

However, they are not amongst the game’s leading nations and are currently languishing in ninth spot on World Rugby’s official rankings list.

After a disastrous 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, Joe Schmidt took over the coaching reins from Eddie Jones at the start of this year and made a good start to his tenure with back-to-back wins over Wales and a victory against Georgia before the Wallabies’ loss to the Springboks.

As a head coach, White has a proven track record and his Bulls team finished as runners-up during the 2023/24 United Rugby Championship campaign after losing the final to Glasgow Warriors at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

Prior to that, he was the Springboks’ coach and guided them during their triumphant 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign but also had stints in charge of the Brumbies, Sharks, Montpellier and Toyota Verblitz.

The 60-year-old was also on the shortlist for the Wallabies coaching job in 2013 but missed out on that position to Ewen McKenzie and led the Brumbies to victory over the Lions in 2013.

“I remember bumping into Robbie Deans in Japan afterwards,” wrote White. “And I said, ‘Jeez, I was a bit disappointed I didn’t get the Wallabies gig’, and his words to me were prescient, ‘Jake, you’ve dodged a bullet’.”

Wallabies’ bold prediction ahead of second Rugby Championship Test with Springboks

White said Rugby Australia’s problems have been coming on for more than 20 years.

“They closed their academies. Why? I can’t fathom it… the system that brought through the (David) Pococks, the (Will) Genias, the (Quade) Coopers,” he wrote.

“Those boys came through academies where they got top-of-the-range S&C (strength and conditioning) coaches.

‘Australian rugby has never been weaker’

“Australian rugby thought they could survive without it but Australian rugby has never been weaker. They’ve never been ranked so lowly since the game went pro and the game is in disarray.”

Schmidt signed a two-year contract with Rugby Australia and next year’s Lions tour is viewed as a major focus from which he will be judged.

“In the background, there is an almost visceral fear about a humiliation against the Lions next year,” added White.

“I feel for Joe Schmidt because the problems run so much deeper than the players on the field. I heard someone say, ‘You only need 23 good players’ but honestly, you need far more depth given how physical the game now is. If things follow on the same trajectory, it could be cataclysmic by the time they host the World Cup.

“It is the biggest hole Australian rugby has ever been in and things need to change quickly.”

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