Fiji turn to Jake White for 2027 World Cup charge

Jake White is back on the international stage, and Keo and Zels believe Fiji may have made one of the most fascinating appointments ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Fiji Rugby confirmed White as the new head coach of the FIJI Water Flying Fijians, with the 2007 World Cup-winning Springbok coach tasked with leading the team into next year’s tournament in Australia.

For Zels, the appointment is good for global rugby.

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White may divide opinion, but his record is impossible to ignore. He coached the Springboks to the 2007 World Cup title, won the Tri-Nations in 2004, and has built winning teams at different levels of the game. Fiji Rugby also pointed to his international pedigree and championship-winning experience in announcing the appointment.

Zels said people have short memories when it comes to coaches like White and Eddie Jones. They become the butt of jokes, but they have achieved things in rugby that most people have not even learned yet.

Fiji, in particular, excites him.

Along with Tonga and Samoa, Fiji is one of the rugby nations supporters constantly want to see unlocked. The talent has never been in doubt. The question has always been whether the right structure, discipline and consistency can be added to that natural brilliance.

Zels believes White could help with exactly that.

If he can connect with the players and get their buy-in, Fiji could become even more competitive. They may not be immediate World Cup winners, but they can become a side that consistently punches above its weight and causes problems for the traditional powers.

Keo linked the appointment back to 2007, when White’s Springboks faced Fiji in a World Cup quarter-final in Marseille. Fiji dragged the game back to 20-20 and had momentum before JP Pietersen’s famous cover tackle helped the Boks survive the scare and eventually win.

Now, almost two decades later, White will lead Fiji into a World Cup in Australia, with a warm-up match against the Springboks already looming as a juicy storyline.

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Keo also liked the realism in White’s early comments. Fiji’s best players are often based in Europe, playing for French and English clubs, and are not always available outside major Test windows. White’s job will be to identify the right group, assemble the strongest possible squad, and build towards the World Cup with the resources available.

There was also some humour from Zels, who joked that he wants to be there when Bismarck du Plessis tries to learn Fijian, with the old Jake White crew potentially never too far away.

But beneath the jokes, the respect was clear.

White knows how to win. Fiji know how to produce rugby magic.

If the two come together, the Flying Fijians could be one of the most dangerous stories of 2027.