DURBAN - The Bulls will be a different proposition under Jake White to the outfit that floundered in Super Rugby earlier this year, according to Sharks coach Sean Everitt.
The World Cup-winning former Springbok coach took over from Pote Human in April and during the national lockdown has industriously transformed the squad, adding the likes of Duane Vermeulen, Arno Botha, Nizaam Carr, Jason Jenkins, Travis Ismaiel, Sintu Manjezi, Schalk Erasmus and Gio Aplon.
Most of White’s recruiting has been among the forwards and Everitt says this is hardly a subtle pointer to how the Bulls will play under White.
“The Bulls have built up a formidable squad under Jake ... there are a lot of big ball carriers there now and I would say that they are going back to old Bulls rugby,” said Everitt, who is no stranger to White’s coaching style after having been one of his assistants when White coached the Sharks in 2014.
“It will be interesting to see what the Bulls bring this weekend (in their Super Fan Saturday match against the Sharks at Loftus) but I am pretty sure that for us it is going to be about stopping the momentum they will try and generate with those powerful ball carriers.”
The 24-year-old Jenkins, who can play in the second row or in the loose trio, is the latest of White’s signings and joined the squad last week from Japan.
Jenkins made his Test debut for the Boks - his only cap to date - against Wales in Washington, DC in 2018 and has previously played for the SA A side in 2017.
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