Webb Ellis Cup

South Africa's World Cup-winning coach, Jake White, has been appointed to lead Fiji into the next men's tournament in Australia.

White, who helped the Springboks lift the Webb Ellis Trophy in two thousand and seven, was announced by the Fijian Rugby Union on Tuesday after beating a strong field of applicants, including Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards.

He replaces Senirusi Seruvakula, who was appointed to the position of an interim basis in April and oversaw the Flying Fijians mid-year test in July, as well as the twenty twenty-six Pacific Nations Cup last month.

White coached South Africa from two thousand and four to two thousand and seven and also steered the ACT Brumbies to the two thousand and thirteen Super Rugby final.

And so it is frustrating because you're giving up the Bledisloe Cup, uh, an o- opportunity to bring back the Bledisloe Cup.

You know, it's been 2002, and you're going into the most important series, the most important bit of silverware outside of Bill, the, the Webb Ellis Cup, uh, and, and you're giving it up.

So it's...

I know Rugby Australia explored, you know, what can be done about this.

William Webb Ellis Trophy?

It's the Webb Ellis Cup.

Yeah.

We'll have that.

Yeah, yeah.

Anytime you've got the Webb Ellis Cup there and that just sparkling around the Sydney Harbour, it is a special kind of moment to be around.

Plenty of former Wallabies that were there, guys like Justin Harris and Lottie Dicuri as well.

It's exciting.

What about the 1987 Rugby World Cup final, New Zealand playing France?

And the Webb Ellis Cup, the inaugural World Cup, has gone to...

This marvellous New Zealand side.

A winning margin of 20 points.

But I want to speak to the former Wallaby captain.

Of course, he went out on a high in 1991 when we lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy.

But I want to speak to Simon today because he's lending his very significant voice.

and his leadership credentials uh to this fight to save victoria barracks good on him and his family has a very strong military connection as well and he's been scathing in the way that the federal government have handled this and he's right to do that um as you are right in the way you have reacted to this decision now the good news is that the momentum is now heading in our direction The bad news is that the one who has to make the decision, the Defence Minister or ultimately the Prime Minister who can overrule Richard Marles, are yet to budge.

Yes, we did.

But when we're talking in 14 months, if the All Blacks are holding the William Webb Ellis Trophy into the Melbourne sky, no one will care about the South African tour.

It's just a step on the journey.

But the fact remains, there is a big gap between the All Blacks and South Africa.

Have we learnt anything new about the All Blacks? Have we learnt anything new about the Springboks? Where are the two teams at 12 months out from a Rugby World Cup in particular? Seven tests into the Dave Rennie era.

What have we seen? What do we want to see? Moving forward to the test in Europe and then obviously with the big prize being the William Webb Ellis Cup in 12 months time.

Your weekly dose of NPC follows that.

And then Stephen Gallagher's back as we look at the opening weekend in the NRL final series.