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Touchline Magazine Now Online

RFU tribute to Chalkie White

 
 

26 January 2005

The Rugby Football Union has paid tribute to Chalkie White, who died on Monday at the age of 76.

Herbert Victor White, universally known as "Chalkie”, was the Leicester scrum half who became one of the game's greatest coaches.

He coached the Tigers for 14 years and influenced a generation of players, including British and Irish Lions coach Clive Woodward.

RFU President Malcolm Phillips described White as an "inspiration" and Woodward acknowledged White had a "huge influence" on his own career.

"Chalkie White was a pioneer of modern coaching, an inspiration to the players he taught and a profound influence on the coaches that followed him," said Phillips.

"I had the privilege of working with Chalkie as chairman of selectors when he coached the North and Midlands to beat a very strong Argentina side. I remember being impressed by him straight away.

"He was not just a superb technical coach, he was also a great motivator and a man manager. He had that rare ability to get the very best out of the players he worked with.

"His contribution to rugby throughout England is still being felt today and the game is much poorer for his passing."

After leading England to victory at the 2003 World Cup, Woodward told England Rugby magazine about the impact White's coaching philosophy made on him.

"Chalkie had a huge influence on me as a player and as a coach," said Woodward.

"My favourite line that I learned from him was 'the first bit of ball you get may be the best bit of ball'. What he was saying was that you should never be afraid to run your first piece of possession.  

"Chalkie wanted to play from the opening minute, from anywhere on the field. We all benefited from that kind of philosophy and we went out to play in a way we enjoyed.

"That was very high on his list of priorities and it's something I tried to emphasise during my time as England coach. One of the biggest shames of that era was that Chalkie didn't become national coach."

Terry Burwell, now the RFU's Director of Community Rugby and Operations, played under White at Leicester.

He was equally influenced by White's perspective on life and a vision that applies to rugby at all ages and all levels.

"Chalkie's influence on coaches, players and administrators was felt long after he 'retired' and all those who worked with him, myself included, own an enormous debt for the perspective he gave us on our great game," said Burwell.

"It is that vision and perspective that is at the heart of community rugby and he will be remembered as a great ambassador for the sport.

"Chalkie believed if you are about to pass somebody into trouble during a game, don’t pass; and that if you are an administrator, pass the game on safely to the next generation and do your utmost to make it better."

White was born on January 16, 1929, of Cumbrian farming stock and served in the Royal Navy before turning to teaching, with rugby a constant thread running through his life.

He played for Old Creightonians - the old boys of Creighton Grammar School in Carlisle - and then for Penzance-Newlyn and Camborne in Cornwall before moving to Leicester, for whom he made 147 appearances between 1957 and 1963

He also appeared for Cumberland and Westmoreland, Cornwall and Notts, Lincs and Derbys before he contracted Meniere's disease, which affected his sense of balance and ended his playing career.

While teaching at Nottingham High School, he turned his hand to coaching and brought a new approach to Welford Road during the late 1960s which continued until 1981, when the Tigers had won three successive John Player Cup finals.

His representative coaching jobs included leading the Midlands to victory over Australia in 1975 and the combined Midlands and North side to their win over Argentina in 1976.

In 1982, he became the RFU divisional technical administrator for the South West, based at Taunton School and delivering his technical and tactical expertise to all levels of the game well into the 1990s.

In recent years he endured a long illness and died on January 24 this year, eight days after his 76th birthday. He is survived by his wife Doris, sons Ged and Nick, and daughter Stella.

Chalky White's funeral takes place at Taunton Dene crematorium at 10am on Wednesday, February 2.

 
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