My mate Jake- World Cup winning coach in Fiji

Miles away from the rugby pitch, his homeland South Africa and many victorious rugby fields of the world Jake White chilled out on Malamala Island, Fiji. He is in the country to help Fiji rugby as part of a 4 year deal with the IRB to strengthen pacific teams.
There is no better man for this role and sitting on the sand with him for several hours, his wisdom and passion for the game flowed as Fiji time floated bye.

It is quite ironic that 6 months ago his team was in a titanic battle with Fiji in the quarterfinals of the RWC and now he is here to help them. Sitting in the ocean Jake said, "Playing Fiji that day it was as if the whole stadium was collapsing in on me, the atmosphere was electric and everyone was chanting Fiji Fiji Fiji." "The problem was they had a man sent off and were down to 14 men, in my eyes that leaves you with two lots of Fiji 7's teams and that is dangerous!" Around him Jake could see the panic in his team and knew they were goner's if nothing was done. The secret was very out of character for him and the solution was to be calm, where normally he would be yelling and all hotted up walking down the sideline. Instead messages where sent to the water carriers to slow themselves down and change their own body language as they were projecting the panic and the team would see and feel this. Jake asked them to be calmly walk over as if nothing was wrong and everything was under total control. Once with the players under the posts when Fiji had just made it 20 all, Jake's relayed message was simple. "You all saw how the All Blacks players looked yesterday, you do not want to be like that so go out there and do what has to be done." From that 65 minute mark against Fiji goes down as the best rugby South Africa has every played under Jake White. "It was by far the most important & it cemented our style and flow that carried on to victory in the final."

Sharing more gold, Jake said, "The first person you select first is your captain, they become more than that they are your leader under crisis, only then true captain's comes out. When pressure situations arrive, it is time for your leader to show the way for the team to follow. In amongst chaos and panic, this man has to take the game and his team will come too." For him this was John Smitt, a man Jake has been coaching since he was 15, now this captain has secured the Junior World Cup & the RWC 2007 with Jake.

Numerous swims, a few Fiji bitter beers and life certainly was an Island for Mr White. Super relaxation soon changed into an international game of touch rugby on the beach, Jake has the approach that coaching is 80 percent in selection, this surely rang true as his team had all the local Fijian boys & Glen Ella in it and they soon carved it up against the others. This dominance called for some creative thinking from the opposition team and Jake's men were forced to wear flippers to even things up a bit.

Island life seems to suit his nature and looking out to the pure blue horizon life is pure sailing for this gifted man. Options all over the world must be opening up for him, most of these will be in high stress environments and Jake said " at this stage I am having a long think before I make any plans." As he was thinking so was I, my hope is this. I want Jake to lead a life of calmness and enjoyment, as he doing this he can also pass on such valuable knowledge to help our Oceania teams succeed in the future. Jake said, "I have climbed the highest mountain in rugby and put my flag there, now I want to help motivate others to make that climb and I will enjoy watching them do it."

Meeting this great man he instils a belief in you, he talks with you not at you and after a while the feeling is as if he has known you a long time. This feeling is amazing and it is clear to see that any team he is coach of will be as one and follow their mate Jake to the top of any hill.