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Jake White: 'I’m sort of happy and sad – I know it sounds weird'

Jake White, coach of the Vodacom Bulls (Photo by Gordon Arons/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White admitted that his team’s United Rugby Championship home play-off mission has become difficult, but certainly not impossible.

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The Bulls recorded a crucial 40-34 win over table-topping Glasgow Warriors at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Pretoria franchise headed into the Round 16 contest needing a bonus-point win to keep them in contention for the top four play-off spot – which they accomplished.

However, they failed to deny Glasgow Warriors two losing bonus points. A feat that did not sit well with Bulls boss Jake White.

Leading 37-10 after three quarters, the Bulls looked to have locked in the match thanks to tries by Armand van der Merwe, Cameron Hanekom, Elrich Louw and Canan Moodie.

However, a lack of composure in the closing stages saw Franco Smith’s Glasgow instigate a comeback at Loftus.

Tries by wings Kyle Steyn and Sebastian Cancelliere, as well as replacement Duncan Weir, narrowed the gap to six points (31-37) going into the final 10 minutes.

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“I’m sort of happy and sad – I know it sounds weird,” White said after the match at Loftus.

“For 60 minutes we were outstanding, probably some of the best rugby we played in a long time.

“Defensively we had their number, I just think we got naïve in the end with our plays.

Fixture
United Rugby Championship
Bulls
40 - 34
Full-time
Glasgow
All Stats and Data

“We started kicking contestables when we had the game set and match. Instead of kicking out, we give them line outs; giving them the ball at the halfway line and that is what they wanted.

“The intercept as well, we didn’t need to play there. I sort of hate myself for saying this but we should have been conservative at the backend of the game.

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“It is one of those challenges that we have. We are such a good attacking team, but I don’t want to be too hard on my team.

“But it is a good example of when we got to have leadership on the field to call what we want to try and execute.

“It is interesting. Now I sort of challenge the leadership and on Monday we will go through different scenarios where we can create a game plan and theory where everyone is on board.

“There is no right or wrong, we just want all the players to be on the same page.”

The South Africans are currently fourth with 56 points while the Warriors are at the summit with 60 points.

Leinster are second with 59 and defending champions Munster are third with 58.

United Rugby Championship

P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Glasgow
16
12
4
0
60
2
Leinster
16
12
4
0
59
3
Munster
16
11
4
1
58
4
Bulls
16
11
5
0
56
5
Stormers
16
10
6
0
50
6
Ulster
16
10
6
0
49
7
Edinburgh
16
11
5
0
48
8
Benetton
16
10
5
1
48
9
Connacht
16
9
7
0
44
10
Lions
16
8
8
0
44
11
Ospreys
16
8
8
0
40
12
Sharks
16
4
12
0
25
13
Cardiff Rugby
16
3
12
1
25
14
Scarlets
16
3
13
0
17
15
Dragons RFC
16
3
13
0
16
16
Zebre
16
1
14
1
15

And with just two rounds remaining before play-offs, a top-four finish seems destined for the Bulls.

However, it is the top two finish that will be a challenge as White’s men face two challenging fixtures.

The Bulls host Benetton next week before an away fixture against Sharks in Durban on June 1.

“The two losing bonus points for Glasgow makes it difficult for us,” White said when asked about his team’s home play-offs state.

“If they got nothing today [Saturday], numerically there would have been an opportunity and it would have been easier.

“They [have a game against] Zebre, and I’m not knocking the Italian team. But in the last three years, they have struggled as a franchise.

“Therefore that could be a win for them [Glasgow] and five points, while we will have to face the Sharks, who might be Challenge Cup champions by then.

“[Our other fixture is] Benetton, who had our number a couple of years ago in the Rainbow Cup Final. A lot of those players play for Italy and won a couple of games in the Six Nations.

“So, I don’t for one minute think we have done enough.

“We have to make sure that we are playing our best rugby by the time we get to the backend of the competition and that is now.”

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J
JW 13 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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