• Jake White leaves the Bulls immediately after players complained about his tough leadership style to management.

• Captain Ruan Nortje and former skipper Marcell Coetzee are among those who raised concerns about White’s methods.

Jake White has walked away from the Bulls after his own players turned against him.

The coach agreed to leave immediately after a board meeting was called, after players complained about his tough leadership style.

Captain Ruan Nortje and former skipper Marcell Coetzee were among those who raised concerns about White with management.

The drama started after the Bulls lost their third United Rugby Championship final to Leinster. Players had apparently had enough of White’s intense methods.

The fallout was so bad that White also fell out with his assistant coaches Chris Rossouw and Andries Bekker. He even clashed with CEO Edgar Rathbone.

White joined the Bulls in 2020 and helped turn them into winners again. He won the Super Rugby Unlocked and Currie Cup titles in his first year.

But his hard-driving style eventually wore players down. The board decided it was time for a change.

The Bulls are now looking for a new coach. Former Lions boss Johan Ackermann and Springbok U20s assistant Johann van Graan are possible replacements.

CEO Rathbone praised White’s rugby knowledge. He said White made the Bulls competitive again and helped develop young Springboks.

Club president Willem Strauss said White’s passion left a lasting mark on the team.

White said goodbye by admitting the team needed fresh ideas.

“With many years’ coaching experience, I felt it would be difficult to get the squad to perform to the next level,” he said.

He thanked everyone at the club for letting him be part of Bulls history.

“You win some, you lose some. You learn as you grow. Rugby, like life, isn’t always fair,” White said.

The coach rebuilt the Bulls from scratch after joining five years ago. But his intense methods eventually backfired.

The team made three United Rugby Championship finals under White but lost them all. The latest defeat to Leinster was apparently the final straw for unhappy players.

Pictured above: Jake White.

Image source: @BlueBullsRugby