• Bulls mentor Jake White will ensure that his charges realise the “privilege” of potentially playing at Newlands for the last time this weekend.
• He hopes that his younger players in particular will be enriched by the experience of running out at the second-oldest rugby stadium in the world.
• White also reminisced on his successes at the stadium as Springbok coach.

Despite the evolution he’s shown as the Bulls’ director of rugby, Jake White still considers himself a traditionalist.

That’s why he won’t let his charges go down to Newlands this weekend with a win-at-all-costs mentality without an appreciation that their Currie Cup opener against Western Province will be the last ever North-South derby played at the hallowed ground.

Province will call the Cape Town Stadium its new home at the conclusion of the tournament in late January.

“It’s obviously going to be a very emotional outing,” White said after his team clinched the Super Rugby Unlocked title this past weekend.

“I would never have thought, a couple of months ago, that I’m going to be at Newlands for a last time.”

It’s not that the former Springbok coach is denying Province’s ability to perform well enough to still claim a potential home semi-final and final in about eight weeks’ time, but if 2020 has taught local rugby anything it’s that nothing’s cast in stone.

“Obviously, taking nothing away from the fact that we might still play in a playoff against them, but that is not in our hands. The reality is what we know it could be the last time we play there,” said White.

“The players must appreciate the fact that it’s an unbelievable opportunity and privilege for them to actually play their last game at Newlands.

“I’ll put a premium on that, because it’s like playing at Lansdowne Road, it’s the oldest ground. You play at Newlands, the second oldest ground. It’s a wonderful thing for a young player.”

While White’s history with the Bulls at Newlands will be a short one, he’s had his fair share of memorable moments at the foot of Table Mountain in the Green-and-Gold.

“I’ve always enjoyed Newlands,” he said.

“I think about it a lot. I was a young coach when I coached the Boks against the All Blacks there in 2005 and beat them (22-16). We also played a strong Ireland there in 2004 and beat them (to win the series 2-0).

“We also played Australia in 2007, when Frans Steyn kicked those two drop-goals, and we beat them.”