Director of Rugby, Jake White and his 2007 Rugby World Cup winning squad were all honoured at the 2023 South African Hall of Fame with an induction into the coveted honours board.
The Hall of Fame celebrates South Africans who have great achievements that Inspire and Empower our youth, to make them believe, to bring them hope and to be inspired to reach for greatness and to stretch beyond the circumstances to reach their full potential! White and the 2007 ensemble were inducted into the honours board at an event held in Johannesburg on Tuesday (15 August) evening.
Reflecting on the moment, White said: “It was nice to gather with the guys again after having not seen some of them in a really long time, to catch up and see how well they are doing their personal lives was just a blessing that I truly do not take for granted. I am just proud of the men they have gone on to become,”
“Recognition is very nice because it reminds you of the hard work you have poured yourself into and how much that meant to not only those in the team but those watching from the outside too. This recognition is also good for the team (2007 squad) because all these many years later, I am sure the guys appreciate the trip down memory lane and I hope they see it as another reminder of how impactful their hard work was on our beautiful country,”
“When you have enjoyed a career as long as I have, evenings like this really allow us to pause for a second and appreciate the blessings that have come our way. I am thankful to the players, the staff behind the scenes and regular South Africans who inspired us back then to do something as big as trying to be world champions and to the committee that has inducted us into this Hall of Fame roll-call. Thank you.”
BBCo Chief Executive Officer, Edgar Rathbone congratulated White extolling him as one of the best rugby minds.
“On behalf of the Vodacom Bulls family, I wish to congratulate Jake and the rest of the class of 2007 on their well-deserved induction into the Hall of Fame,”
“Jake has been a loyal servant of the game for many years and his contributions towards the growth of South African rugby will forever be invaluable. His passion for the game and for the art of winning still burns as much as it did back then, a longevity that is only backed by results and his extensive CV reflects that,”
“We consider ourselves very fortunate to have one rugby’s leading mind steer our franchise forward. We continue to dream big with him at the helm and ofcourse, we enjoy seeing him produce more Springboks because that means that we are doing something that not only benefits our club but benefits the national product too.”
