Stonehouse wants to coach Bulls

John Mitchell has still not headed to England and there is an icy silence from the Bulls bosses, but at least Jimmy Stonehouse (right) is keen to coach them, stating at the weekend he is committed to furthering his career in South Africa.

Stonehouse returned from Japan at the beginning of the year to once again take up the coaching reins at the Pumas, but following the Mpumalanga side’s 29-39 Currie Cup defeat to the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend, the 54-year-old left no doubts he would gladly replace Mitchell in Pretoria if the offer came.

“I don’t know anything apart from what I’ve read in the media,” Stonehouse said of reports he is one of the contenders for the job, “but I really hope it’s true. I have waited many years for an opportunity to coach Super Rugby and four weeks ago I turned down an opportunity from overseas.

“I said no to going overseas again because I realised in Japan, leaving that contract a year early, that I wanted to coach in South Africa. I’m ready for the job, I have the experience, and if it doesn’t come through now then clearly it must just not be meant to be,” Stonehouse said.

Mitchell was still in his work clothes at Loftus Versfeld late last week and negotiations over his release fee are reportedly continuing with the England RFU, whose enthusiasm for the transfer seems to be wavering. But the longer the deal takes to be made, the greater the risk that the embattled Bulls will be washing a figure alleged to be around R4 million down the basin, because after all that has happened in the last couple of months, Mitchell staying on in Pretoria would appear to be untenable.

“I have no update, the moment we are ready to say something official, we will release it,” was all Bulls CEO Barend van Graan was willing to say yesterday.