Updated April 27, 2011 22:11:00 New Brumbies coach Jake White has hit the road running, sizing up George Gregan and former coach Eddie Jones amongst a number of former stars to get the Canberra side back to the top of Super Rugby.
The former World Cup-winning Springboks coach has already made calls to a number of Brumbies old boys before even officially starting his role as coach, with his contract set to start in the 2012 season.
And he says any future successes will have roots in the past, with ex-Wallabies captain Gregan and close friend Jones key to rebuilding a winning culture.
"I've already said it to Eddie, I've already left a message for George Gregan as well," White told ABC Grandstand.
"I think one of the things I've always seen is that you need those guys who've been there and done it, understand the culture, just to make sure they can add whatever they can.
"Im going to try and get guys like Gregan and [Steve] Larkham, Joe Roff, Rod Kafer and Jeremy Paul and all the guys who were part of such a successful campaign to contribute in ways that they can make sure the Brumbies get back to being a top team in the Super Rugby campaign.
"I'd like to believe that we're going to get back to winning ways and I think one way of doing it is just to go back to the things that made the Brumbies different.
"They've always been a very innovative team, they've always been a team that have been leaders in rugby - not only in the Super Rugby competition but around the world ... and they've always had that ability to draw the top players to want to be part of the Brumbies."
White's close friendship with Jones means the former Wallabies and Brumbies coach could rejoin the Canberra side in an advisory role.
Jones guided the Brumbies to their first Super Rugby title back in 2001 prior to taking the helm at the Wallabies.
"Im going to make sure Eddie Jones is part of it. At the end of the day you'd be crazy [not to consider him] ...Eddie Jones has been a very successful Brumbies coach," he said.
"He's been there and done it, he understands what made the Brumbies famous.
"Eddie's said to me that he would love to help, obviously he won't be there full-time, he'll be coming as a consultant and helping me, sometimes on the field, sometimes off the field.
"The bottom line is just giving the players whatever they need to become number one."
Jones was famously appointed by White as a technical adviser to the Springboks in their triumphant 2007 World Cup campaign.
"When I did eventually strike up a friendship with Eddie, I just said 'listen what is it that you guys are doing [at the Brumbies?]" White said.
"As a junior coach in South Africa I was lucky enough to be invited to go and spend two weeks at the Brumbies and at that point Eddie had been the Wallabies coach.
"I've been a big fan of the way the Brumbies have approached rugby from the day that they started."
O'Connor interest
White was coy on potential signings, but says he would consider the opportunity to pick up Western Force gun James O'Connor if it came up.
"The whole world would love to sign James O'Connor," he said.
"He's got a South African mum and a New Zealander dad, so maybe he'd feel a bit more allegiance coming to a South African coach playing for the Brumbies.
"But I've said to him you've seen the way the Brumbies play and the way the Brumbies have played in the past, and hopefully the Brumbies can give that to you and turn you into one of the best players in the world."
He is also keen to keep hold of all the Wallabies players in the Brumbies squad, including Australia skipper Rocky Elsom.
Elsom is reportedly attracting interest from the Waratahs and his contract finishes at the end of the season, with prolonged negotiations with the Australian Rugby Union continuing over his future.
"I'd loved to keep Adam Ashley-Cooper, I'd love to keep Matt Giteau, I'd love to keep Rocky Elsom, all the Wallabies," White said.
"I think they're a very important part of being a successful team.
"I'd love [Elsom] to stay, I'd love him to be part of the Brumbies and I need his experience, I need his leadership. It would be sad if he wanted to leave the Brumbies."
While Brumbies legend Larkham is now the current assistant coach, White says he will try and get the best he can out of the current backroom staff before considering changes.
"Everyone's in the job and I don't want to create uncertainty. The fairest way of doing it would be to first assess and see what they've got, see who does what and what added value they bring to the team," he said.
"At the end of the day it's not just the assistant coaches, it's the support staff and everybody at Brumbie-land needs to make sure they can add value to the Brumbies set up."
Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, act, canberra-2600 First posted April 27, 2011 17:33:00
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