Latest news with #Rapport
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
New twist to Bulls coach saga
White is expected to leave his role – despite having taken the Bulls to three Vodacom URC finals in four seasons and being contracted until 2027. STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 04: Johan Ackermann (Coaching Consultant) during the South Africa Academy U20 training session at Van der Stel Fields on February 05, 2025 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images) Johan Ackermann, the favourite to replace Jake White as Vodacom Bulls head coach, has received another offer. According to Rapport, the former Lions coach received a contract extension offer from SA Rugby to continue his work with the Junior Springboks before news broke about White's situation at the Bulls. White is expected to leave his role – despite having taken the Bulls to three Vodacom URC finals in four seasons and being contracted until 2027 – following reported discontent among senior players and assistant coaches Andries Bekker and Chris Rossouw over White's leadership. Rapport says the Bulls are expected to confirm White's departure within the next two weeks. Ackermann joined the Junior Boks as a forwards consultant in January on a six-month deal which was extended by a month to include the World Rugby U20 Championship that starts on Sunday. The 55-year-old had emerged as a leading candidate for the Loftus job due to his strong relationship with Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone (who he worked with at the Lions) and president Willem Strauss. However, two other big names are also in the mix. Franco Smith, who guided the Glasgow Warriors to the 2024-25 URC title, is under contract until 2026 but is reportedly frustrated by budget constraints and foreign player rules in Scotland. Johann van Graan, fresh off a historic treble with Bath – winning the EPCR Challenge Cup, English Premiership and Premiership Cup – has a contract until 2030 but is believed to still harbour ambitions of coaching the Bulls and eventually the Springboks. This story was first published on It is republished here with permission.
The South African
23-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Bulls coach to face the axe after player mutiny?
The Bulls emerged as the top local domestic side this past season, with coach Jake White leading the Pretoria-based side to the URC final before ultimately falling short against Leinster. As ever, White was outspoken on a number of subjects throughout the season, which included some rather strange comments after the title decider in which he implied the Bulls just didn't have enough player quality to compete with a team like Leinster. There were also occasions when he appeared to rather publicly criticise some players, and quite dramatically, it now seems that there has been a hard stance taken within the team. According to Rapport , skipper Ruan Nortje and fellow Springbok Marcell Coetzee led a player delegation that met with Bulls management to raise issues about White. It was also reported that the relationship between White and assistant coaches Chris Rossouw and Andries Bekker has also taken a turn for the worse. White has been at the Bulls since 2020, and enjoyed real success along the way, although at times they have just fallen short in key knockout games. It's believed that issues around White's leadership have been brewing for some time, and a Bulls board of director meeting in early July could now decide his fate. Former Lions coach Johan Ackermann, who is currently assisting the Junior Boks, is said to be a contender to take over from White if he is let go. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
22-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Jake White no longer in favour at the Bulls? — report
It would appear that the Pretoria-based team have already identified a possible replacement. Jake White, Director of Rugby at the Bulls, has led the team to three URC finals. Picture:Is Jake White's head on the chopping block at the Bulls? According to Afrikaans Sunday publication Rapport, the 2007 World Cup-winning coach, who has guided the Bulls to three United Rugby Championship finals without winning the trophy, has fallen out of favour with several players and coaches at Loftus Versfeld. White joined the Bulls in 2020, initially until the end of 2023, but he extended his contract beyond his initial stay. He helped the team win the Super Rugby Unlocked competition during Covid and also coached the side to three URC finals, against the Stormers, Glasgow and Leinster. White also oversaw the side winning the Currie Cup in 2020 and 2021. Rapport revealed on Sunday several players and coaches in the Pretoria team's structures are unhappy with White's leadership. The publication also stated that former Lions coach Johan Ackermann could be next in line to take charge of the Bulls. Ackermann is currently employed by SA Rugby, working with the Junior Boks. The former Springbok lock previously coached the Lions in Super Rugby and guided the team to finals in 2016 and 2017. He then coached at Gloucester in England before taking up a position in Japan. Ackermann and current Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone worked together at the Lions, when the coach turned the team into South Africa's strongest Super Rugby side after they struggled for years to make an impact in the competition.
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First Post
09-06-2025
- Sport
- First Post
'It made my decision a lot easier': Heinrich Klaasen makes shocking revelation about his international retirement
South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen has opened up about his emotional decision to retire from international cricket. He revealed the key reason why he stepped away from national duty. read more Heinrich Klaasen had quit Test cricket in 2024 and has now retired from white-ball cricket. Image: Reuters South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen has revealed the emotional reason behind his decision to retire from international cricket. In a recent interview, Klaasen said he had not been enjoying the game for a while and that things behind the scenes made it easier for him to walk away. Speaking to Rapport, Klaasen admitted, 'I felt for a long time that I didn't really care about any of my performances and whether the team won or not. That's the wrong place to be.' Klaasen had been a part of the South African team since 2018 when he made his white-ball debut. He retired from Test cricket in January 2024. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Klaasen reveals why he quit international cricket Klaasen explained that he had a long chat with former South Africa coach Rob Walter before the ICC Champions Trophy and shared how he was feeling. South Africa made it to the semi-finals of the 50-over event before getting knocked out by New Zealand. 'I told him I didn't feel good in my heart about what was going on. I wasn't enjoying it that much. So when he finished as coach and the [contract] negotiations [with CSA] didn't go as planned, it made my decision a lot easier,' Klaasen said. Walter stepped down as South Africa's coach in April this year. He joined the New Zealand team as their coach in all formats this month. After it was confirmed that Walter would leave, Klaasen wasted no time in calling it quits. 'Now I can spend six, seven months at home. My family needs it, it's been a long four years with a lot of travel. I need a little rest,' Klaasen said about his plans. Klaasen was last seen in action for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. His team failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing runners-up in the previous edition. He is set to play in the Major League Cricket (MLC) next. After that, the Protea is expected to participate in the Hundred.
NDTV
09-06-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Heinrich Klaasen's Shocking Revelation On Sudden International Retirement: "Didn't Really Care..."
Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has made a sensational claim, days after announcing a shock retirement from Test cricket. Last week, Klaasen stunned the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from international cricket. Klaasen played for the Proteas in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, before being overlooked by Cricket South Africa (CSA) for a central contract. Speaking on his decision to retire, Klaasen revealed that he was in a really bad headspace and he wasn't really enjoying playing for South Africa. "I felt for a long time that I didn't really care about any of my performances and whether the team won or not. That's the wrong place to be. I had a long conversation with Rob [Walter] before the Champions Trophy, and I told him I didn't feel good in my heart about what was going on. I wasn't enjoying it that much," Wisden quoted Klaasen as saying to Rapport. Klaasen said that he wanted to play till the 2027 ODI World Cup at least, he had a change in heart after head coach Rob Walter's resignation. "We talked nicely, we planned everything nicely up to and including the World Cup in 2027. So when he finished as coach and the [contract] negotiations [with CSA] didn't go as planned, it made my decision a lot easier," he added. Klaasen expressed his desire to spend time with his family after stepping away from international cricket. "Now I can spend six, seven months at home. My family needs it, it's been a long four years with a lot of travel. I need a little rest," said Klaasen," he pointed out. Klaasen's availability to play in the Major League Cricket (MLC) and The Hundred would have kept him away from the Zimbabwe-New Zealand tri-nation series and white-ball tour to Australia, which caused the negotiations with CSA to fall short, as per the Rapport report. The batter, a father to a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, revealed that his desire to spend time with his family also contributed to his retirement: "Now I can spend six or seven months at home. My family needs it. It has been a long four years with a lot of travel. I need a little rest." Klaasen's iconic whip-pull off the spinners made him a dangerous prospect across the formats for South Africa. He was a member of the South Africa side that featured in the recent ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, and the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025.
