Jake of all trades in the South of France

Former Springboks, Brumbies and Sharks coach Jake White is enjoying life in the south of France, where he is head coach of Montpellier and has ambitions to make them one of the strongest teams in the world.

White, who quit the Sharks after guiding them to the Super rugby semi-finals last year, was controversially appointed at Montpellier late last month to take over from struggling former France captain Fabien Galthie.

Club owner Mohed Altrad, a Syrian-born orphan who made his fortune in concrete and scaffolding, had lost patience with Galthie after nine defeats in a row.

White was fishing with his family on Lake Kariba over Christmas and was unable to follow up on an earlier chat with the club. When he finally had a cellphone signal, there was a message from Altrad to drop everything and travel to France.

White made the move and his first game in charge ended in victory over rugby's Galacticos, Toulon. A week later, though, playing away to Oyonnax, the team suffered another loss.

But White is not expected to produce immediate miracles and his appointment has been made with a more long-term view. He has a six-month contract but signing for another two years is a strong possibility at the end of the season.

"The way I see it, if they extend my stay beyond six months, is that I'll have a two-year opportunity to build something here, time to learn French and also time to experience a different lifestyle," White said from Montpellier.

"We have goals here and after the World Cup [in England in September and October] we are going to try to bring some of the best players in the world to Montpellier to add to an already strong core group that is here.

"There will be many players on the market when the tournament is over and our ambition here is to try to headhunt some of the best. We need three or four more big names."

The club already employs the services of seasoned international players such as Wallaby No8 Ben Mowen (who was White's captain at the Brumbies), French prop Nicolas Mas and flank Fulgence Ouedraogo, former All Black Tom Donnelly (lock), Rene Ranger (wing) and Anthony Tuitavake (centre). Bok centre Wynand Olivier is also on the books, as is former Cheetahs midfielder Robert Ebersohn.

Obvious targets will include some Springboks who will want to move on post-World Cup and big names from New Zealand and England. White already has a wish list and Altrad will soon start the process of trying to cross names off it.

White's arrival was greeted with some shock from the French rugby establishment as well as an expected negative chorus from South African fans, who accused him of being a mercenary. White dismissed those claims.

"I'm a rugby coach, that's my job, so I don't really worry about what people are saying about my decision to come here," he said. "I coach, and this is a good opportunity to coach at a club with ambition."

White is having French lessons twice a week and is quickly picking up the language. But for now he is leaning on assistant coach Shaun Sowerby, who joined him from theKings, as a translator in team meetings.

Sowerby played club rugby in France for 10 years and understands the language as well as the culture of the game.

With so many southern hemisphere players and Pacific islanders in the group, the lingua franca at training is English.

"Some of the best players in the world play here so it's obvious the standards will be high," White said.

"Coaching a top club side here can be like coaching a World XV or the Barbarians. Hopefully next season, if we get the players we want, it will be like that."