Former Bok coach White extends with Montpellier

Former Springbok coach Jake White has signed a pre-contract to extend his stay with Top 14 Rugby side Montpellier until 2017.

White joined Montpellier last year after he had quit the Sharks in Durban South Africa.

White led South Africa to a Rugby World Cup title in 2007 but did not fully take charge of a team until late 2011 when he was appointed as Brumbies coach.

The South African has made it well known that he wants to coach at international level again and when he was overlooked for the Wallabies job in 2013 he quit the Brumbies and returned to South Africa.

Last year White was brought in by Montpellier after they suspended Fabien Galthie at the end of the year following a string of defeats.

White was originally contracted until June but the 52-year-old and club president Mohed Altrad had indicated they wished to continue working together.

And White has already started to recruit for next season with Australian scrum-half Nic White, 24, and South African fly-half Demetri Catrakilis, 25, also signing pre-contracts for two years in mid-January with an option for a third.

White took over after the club’s 27-0 defeat at Castres on a six-month consultant’s contract with Galthie’s initial suspension prolonged.

Montpellier are seventh in the Top 14, one point off sixth spot, the cut-off for the six-team playoffs, with just five games left.

White has won three matches, lost three and drawn one since arriving in southern France.