Bulls confirm Jake White will take a break after emergency surgery

The Bulls have confirmed their director of rugby Jake White has undergone emergency surgery and will take a break from his franchise duties until the beginning of February.

According to the union, the Rugby World Cup-winning mentor was not well during the Bulls’ recent trip to Wales where they defeated the Dragons in their United Rugby Championship (URC) fixture on Friday.

The Bulls arrived back in South Africa on Sunday and later in the day White complained of debilitating stomach cramps. Hw was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention, necessitating an emergency operation.

The two-hour surgery went well and the medical team is confident White will make a full recovery and return to his role soon, the Bulls said.

Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone said it is not nice to see one of their own down but they are extremely confident  the mentor is receiving the best medical attention available.

“Our team of medical experts will provide him with all the necessary support he will need to make a full recovery,” Rathbone said.

“We would like to thank the hospital team, doctors and all those who rushed to offer their expertise and helped with attending to Jake. We have seen, first-hand, why South African medicine is rated among the best in the world. Thank you.”

White is expected to resume his duties on February 8. In his absence, the coaching team will continue to share the responsibility of leading the team.

White will miss at least three matches against Exeter Chiefs and Lyon in the Champions Cup and Scarlets in the URC.

If all goes according to the plan, the Bulls will welcome their highly-respected tactician before their URC derby match against the Stormers on February 18.