“I’m sure any other team that caught this team today in the URC would have gone through exactly what we went through today.”
Bulls director of rugby Jake White said their third United Rugby Championship final defeat – coming against Leinster at Croke Park on Saturday – was the toughest of the lot.
He also said no other side in the URC would have pulled off a win in that match.
The Bulls were hammered four tries to one, losing in the set-piece and aerial battles, especially and appearing toothless whenever attacking Leinster’s try line. In the end, they were beaten 32–7.
It followed their 2022 final defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town (final score 18–13) and last year’s defeat to Glasgow Warriors at Loftus (final score 21–16).
‘It wasn’t like we weren’t trying’
After the Dublin defeat, White and Bulls captain Ruan Nortjé could only give credit to an “amazing” Leinster team that completely outplayed them. “We were trying. It wasn’t like we weren’t trying,” White said.
“Of course, I am sitting here saying it is not ideal, but you have to give credit where it is due. And out of the three finals, this was by far the toughest. And I make no bones about that. That was another level up; that was Test rugby.
“We turned the ball over or they turned the ball over and I look up and I think there’s space but there’s three of their players running back… it’s like everything is in fast-forward. Even for the players, they saw a different intensity and tempo, and organised picture than they’ve seen all season.”
The Bulls coach said he understood why Leinster fans had been disappointed this season – their team waited until the final to show their full potential.
Watch Jake White’s press conference below:
Bulls ‘never going to win’ after Leinster took a strong lead
“I’ve said it many times since I’ve started here at this level with URC: they are the benchmark and tonight they showed it again. We were never going to win that game when they got that 14-point start… I can’t remember any team that’s come back from 19–0 down and beaten them.
“I am not less gutted. Nobody in this competition has played Leinster with their full strength team in a final since we’ve been playing. I’m sure any other team that caught this team today in the URC would have gone through exactly what we went through today. Any other of those 15 teams.”
White said he was being realistic in saying that – the only way to beat a full-strength Leinster was for the Irish side to play badly.
“So it isn’t ideal, we’ve now got three silver. I think we’ve got to try and found out how to turn silver into gold now,” the Bulls coach joked.
