Jake White reacts to Sbu Nkosi's 'break from being judged' message

Bulls boss Jake White has reacted to the curious social media post published earlier this week by Sbu Nkosi. The 2019 Rugby World Cup winner was in London last week and was a two-try scorer for Steve Hansen’s World XV in their thrilling 42-48 defeat to Eddie Jones’ Barbarians at Twickenham last Sunday.

It was the 27-year-old ex-Springboks winger’s fourth match this year since taking a career break for mental health reasons.

March 12 was the date when he made his initial return to play, featuring for the Bulls in the Currie Cup, and after playing twice more in that competition, he headed to London to take part in the highest-profile match of his comeback so far.

The Barbarians experience is second to none | Being Barbarians

The Barbarians experience is second to none | Being Barbarians

Having played well for Hansen’s team and contributed to royally entertaining the 33,000 attendance, Nkosi took to Instagram on Tuesday, writing: “It was reviving to my passion to spend a mere week with men who are pure of heart. A break from being judged by men who are bigger in their minds than they are in reality.”

White was asked about this message a few days later when fronting media ahead of the Bulls’ Currie Cup game this Friday against the Griffons and the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning boss didn’t pull his punches.

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A post shared by Sbu Nkosi / Lawd Odin (@sbu_nkosi14)

Explaining that he already had a meeting with Nkosi about the social media message, White said: “I don’t think anyone wants to see someone go from a World Cup winner to not be guaranteed playing rugby. He is a talented player. I’m very disappointed with what he wrote on social media. Considering the Bulls let him go and play in a game overseas, to read the comments he made was obviously disappointing.

“He is a big boy now. He has got to make decisions about where he wants to go, and it’s not always in anyone else’s hands other than the player. At this point in time, he is not playing well enough, he is not training hard enough (to be selected by the Bulls). I don’t see him enough for him to warrant selection above guys who have been training in the group.

“As I said he is a big boy now, a World Cup-winning Springbok. He must make decisions about where he wants to be and make sure those decisions are in the best interests of himself and the (Bulls) team.”