Wasps Veteran Linked With A Return To South Africa

New Bulls director of rugby and former Springbok head coach Jake White is reportedly interested in Wasps utility forward and former Cheetahs man Ashley Johnson to Pretoria.

According to the Rapport newspaper, White would like to recruit the 33-year-old as a senior member of his forward pack. 

During his days at the Cheetahs, Johnson operated as loose forward earning a test call and three test caps under former Bok coach Pieter de Villiers. Since moving to England Johnson has developed into a classy hooker while still performing in the back row since 2012.

He represented the Cheetahs between 2007 and 2012 and played three Tests for the Springboks in 2011. Meanwhile, the report added that White could shake up the Bulls coaching staff up by luring in Russell Winter and Joey Mongalo.

Winter was the Stormers forwards coach under Robbie Fleck, while Mongalo was in charge of the Lions' defence under Swys de Bruin and is currently assisting the coaching staff at Varsity Cup outfit Wits.

White recently indicated that he would also replace Pote Human as Bulls head coach next year.