Springbok rugby is set to be thrown into more turmoil on the eve of the crunch Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks with a potentially divisive power struggle between SA Rugby vice-president Andre Markgraaff and Bok coach Jake White.
The emergence of a letter from White to SA Rugby that condemns Markgraaff has once again threatened the supposed harmony within the rugby ranks, and accuses the former Bok mentor of meddling.
A report in the Cape Argus on Friday said that Markgraaff had threatened to sack White — the allegation comes in a letter from White to his bosses.
According to the newspaper, the letter said an ”aggressive” Markgraaff had confronted White last Friday, just before the opening Tri-Nations Test against Australia in Pretoria, where he was warned to toe Markgraaff’s line.
Markgraaff had told him: ”Like it or not, I am in charge of rugby in South Africa.”
Months of simmering tension between White and the former Bok coach erupted into the open on Thursday when the website Keo.co.za, run by former Bok communications manager Mark Keohane, revealed White and Markgraaff had clashed on the eve of the Loftus Test.
The row comes at a critical time for the Springbok team, that is aiming to become the first side to remain unbeaten in 11 consecutive home Tests, with victory at Newlands on Saturday.
Keohane’s website said Markgraaff had called a meeting with White and warned that he could lose his job at the end of the year unless their relationship improved.
Contacted on Thursday by the Argus for comment, Markgraaff strenuously denied the allegations, saying: ”I do not want to stoop down to the level of Mark Keohane.
”I met with Jake White to discuss South African rugby structures and the meeting was very constructive.”
The Cape Argus, however, claims it is in possession of White’s letter this week to SA Rugby chief executive Johan Prinsloo and SA Rugby president Brian van Rooyen, which gives a different version of events.
In the letter White insisted he was answerable only to Prinsloo on operational matters and Van Rooyen on rugby issues.
This follows an agreement between the coach and his bosses last month after White threatened to resign before the Test against France in Port Elizabeth over constant interference in his job.
”However, after meeting with Andre Markgraaff, deputy president, on the eve of the first Tri-Nations Test, Mr Markgraaff informed me, ‘Like it or not, I am in charge of rugby in South Africa’.
”I would like to bring this to your attention that this is not stipulated in my contract. I therefore request you to urgently address this.
”Mr Markgraaff addressed me in a very aggressive manner and advised me that he would be sending a letter to my lawyer,” White wrote.
Markgraaff had threatened him by saying ”that he was unhappy with the perception that we were or could not work together and that we needed to work on our relationship as he was ‘in charge of rugby’.
”He intimated that I need to be careful and that one day I would need him.”
White is at present the second most successful Springbok coach of all time, with a 74% win record — 12 wins in 17 Tests — ahead of former coach Nick Mallett (71 per cent).
White gave a detailed list of grievances against Markgraaff that included:
- Markgraaff calling a meeting on the eve of a key match [at Loftus]that ”seems to be a pattern of his, before matches and [at] inappropriate times”.
- Being quoted on the eve of the French Test in Port Elizabeth in June saying that ”win or lose, Jake White is fired”.
- That he did not receive his bonus for winning the Tri-Nations last year until April and ”still not the full agreed amount”.
- That after seven months, the Bok management still did not have signed contracts.
White is demanding that Markgraaff should be relieved of handling his evaluation and replaced by ”an independent panel”.
Maarkgraaff was unavailable for further comment, but Van Rooyen is expected to address the matter as a matter of urgency on Friday. – Sapa