Cape Town – Brumbies coach Jake White says the fact that he is South African may have counted against him getting the job of new Wallabies coach.
Former Australian prop Ewen McKenzie was on Tuesday installed as the new Wallabies coach, after Robbie Deans quit following their series loss to the British and Irish Lions.
White admitted he was disappointed on missing out after confirming the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) interviewed him to be Deans’ replacement before the Wallabies’ second Test against the Lions in Melbourne.
“The ARU asked a while ago if I would be interested (in coaching the Wallabies), I’ve always been interested in returning to international rugby,’’ White told the Canberra Times website.
‘‘It hasn’t panned out, they’ve gone for Ewen and that’s fantastic. He’s got a fantastic record and I wish him all the best.
‘‘My job is to make sure the Brumbies get to a better place, everyone knows that. I’ve got a Brumbies job.’’
White, who is contracted to the Brumbies until the end of the 2015 Super Rugby season, said it wasn’t just a perception that McKenzie got the nod over him because of his Australian heritage.
“It’s not a perception. It’s a fact,’’ said White.
‘‘It just happened. You fired the cricket coach (SA’s Mickey Arthur), put an Aussie in, fired the rugby coach and put an Aussie in.
‘‘It’s not a case that I’m fearing about it. South Africa pick a South African, Kiwis pick Kiwis. England rugby pick English people to pick the team.
‘‘They’ve tried foreigners and I appreciate that. That doesn’t mean that I have to agree or disagree with it. That’s the nature of the game we’re in,” the former Bok coach concluded.
Player discipline key: McKenzie
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