MARK KEOHANE celebrates that Vodacom Bulls boss Jake White is alive and well to resume a thrilling rugby rivalry with the DHL Stormers and coach John Dobson.
White is on the comeback trail from a near-death experience that reignited his rugby fire. On 8 January, he went under the knife in a two-hour operation to salvage his small intestine.
Now, the director of rugby hopes to see 40,000 at Loftus Versfeld when the Bulls host Dobson and the Stormers for another classic North v South Vodacom United Rugby Championship SA derby in a fortnight.
The Capetonian will travel to the Highveld as SA Rugby’s Coach of the Year for 2022, a reward for a magnificent season that included defeating the Bulls in the inaugural URC final in his hometown.
ALSO: Bok halfback duel adds spice to SA derby
In his TimesLIVE column, Keohane shared his relief at White’s recovery from surgery, while he also praised Dobson’s success over the past year.
“I beamed with delight when I was told White had survived surgery in an operation that so easily could have gone the other way. Jakey is still around and the game of rugby is blessed because of this,” Keohane writes.
“I chatted with him during the week and his perspective has changed. The fire in his belly is as hot as it ever was, but his mind is at peace. He is in the most contented space. He gets to wake up and breathe.
“The doctors told him that when he came out of surgery alive, he asked if the Stormers had won. Against Glasgow! He was working the league permutations. Now his brain is working way beyond rugby.”
MORE: Jubilant Jake, Bulls live to fight every day
Keohane continues: “In the same period, Dobson was named South Africa’s best for 2022. It was an obvious choice given that Dobson, since 2022, has guided the Stormers to 20 successive wins in all competitions at Cape Town Stadium and won their first international title in 26 years of the franchise’s existence.
“Dobbo has delighted the rugby people of Western Province and also the global Stormers support base. More pertinently, he has united the game in his home city.
“The Stormers, multi-cultural and magnificent in winning the inaugural URC, were named the SA Team of the Year and rightly Dobbo, as coach, was named the Coach of the Year.
“Jake has made rugby strong in the north, and Dobbo has made rugby strong in the south, and that makes for a strong national situation.”
Photo: Willem Loock/BackpagePix