Keep Six Nations up north White —
As SA rugby leans more towards the northern hemisphere, World Cup-winning coach Jake White has made his opinion known about the Springboks joining the Six Nations.
Such talk has been rife since franchises the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks and Lions joined Pro14 sides to form the United Rugby Championship (URC) in 2020.
Local sides, including the Cheetahs, have been part of the European Professional Club Rugby series, Champions Cup and Challenge Cup since 2023.
According to reports, SA will join the competition in 2026 after the end of a Sanzaar broadcasting deal in 2025.
It is believed the move to the north will have more commercial benefits for SA Rugby and the favourable time zones make it more appealing.
But White says the Six Nations is for the England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Wales national sides and it needs to stay that way.
White was asked about the matter by English media after the Bulls’ Champions Cup game against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate in England.
The coach believes SAs inclusion in the Six Nations would take away the essence of what the competition is about.
“I’m an old-school guy. I can’t see that you can ever have SA playing Six Nations,” said White.
“I look back at those games and you find memories of guys like JPR Williams, who [recently] passed away. I can’t see SA playing in the Six Nations.
“I don’t know, so many things have changed in rugby and hopefully we will hang on to that the Six Nations is for the six nations that play in the north
“Once you start bringing [in] SA, what is stopping you from bringing [in] New Zealand and Australia and all that sort of thing? Then it’s not the Six Nations,” he said.
“I hope it won’t happen. I’d probably get killed for saying that back home.”
After defeating Bristol 31-17 at the weekend, White will hope his Bokless team will step up again when they host French side Bordeaux Bègles at Loftus in Pretoria on Saturday (3pm).
Bordeaux have done well in the Champions Cup this season and have already confirmed their place in the next round with a game to spare.
They did so by winning all their three matches. The Bulls have yet to lose a Champions Cup match at home.