Brumbies' Hoffmann unfazed by White's exit

The 26-year-old scrum-half arrived in the capital last week to start pre-season training as one of the last Brumbies' signings for the 2014 Super Rugby season.

White, the former Springboks coach, lured Hoffmann and fellow South African Lionel Cronje to the Brumbies.

White and Hoffmann were supposed to be on the same flight to Canberra last month. But before Hoffmann packed his bags, World Cup-winning coach White quit the final two years of his Brumbies contract.

Hoffmann, a former Durban Sharks and Cape Town Stormers No.9, is unfazed by the coaching shake-up, with Stephen Larkham and Laurie Fisher taking over.

''When the opportunity came up, we would never say no to it,'' Hoffmann said.

''At first I didn't know what was happening with Jake. But it wasn't the end of the world.

''Jake was the one who contacted me about playing at the Brumbies … but they've really accepted me here.

''I never thought about staying in South Africa; it was never about Jake. The reason I came to the Brumbies wasn't about Jake, it was about the Brumbies and a chance to play here with the team.

''When he left, it wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world and I'm excited to be here.''

White used his South African connections to help recruit players to the Brumbies when he started as coach in 2011. He signed lock Etienne Oosthuizen, props Ruan and JP Smith, Stephan van der Walt, Hoffmann and Cronje.

Oosthuizen asked to be released from the last year of his contract to return to South Africa two months after White quit.

But while Hoffmann is 10,000 kilometres away from home, he says he's in Canberra for the long haul and he wants to win a Super Rugby title.

Hoffmann made his Super Rugby debut in 2008 for the Cape Town Stormers before linking with the Durban Sharks in 2011.

However, his career has been plagued by injuries and he has battled back problems and a broken elbow.

But the former South African under-19s representative says joining the Brumbies is his chance at a fresh start.

''I had a slipped disc in my back and that kept me out for a while. I had a broken elbow, and then I was supposed to join the Brumbies for the club sevens tournament in London [in August], but I injured my ankle,'' Hoffmann said.

''My first choice was to play for the Brumbies. I like the way they play, it's creative and attacking.

''Every player wants to get in the starting side, and that's my goal, but it's about the team success.''

Cronje, a fly-half and inside-centre, arrived in Canberra on Saturday night.

Hoffmann already has connections at the Brumbies. He knows the Smith twins from the South African school system and played at Western Province with Matt Toomua in 2009.