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Bulls 'back on track' and waiting for Stormers now

football24 February 2025 06:20| © SuperSport
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Jake White © Gallo Images

Vodacom Bulls coach Jake White was a happy man as his side got themselves back on track and completed the Jukskei derby double against the Emirates Lions with another victory on Saturday in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship contest.

White was a much less frustrated figure than a week before when the same side had succumbed to the Sharks pace and felt vindicated in the changes he had made to the side that keeps them very much in the hunt for a top four place.

After four consecutive local derbies, two of them away from home, the Bulls face their final acid test this weekend against their old rivals, the DHL Stormers, and will be looking to add another double against them to see if they can go into the two week break they have coming up with a lot of momentum and a solid position on the log.

In many ways the Stormers’ game is like the Lions’ challenge for the Bulls. A tricky encounter that they would be expected to win, but could easily lose given the history between the two sides.

White believes the side showed up and accepted the challenge with a blistering start that saw three tries in 12 minutes and put them on the road to a bonus point victory.

“When you come up against a team that people expect you to beat, then you have to show up. That was the message to the team and that’s the reaction I got,” White said, adding that the message was to be aware of the Lions abilities as well.

LIONS ‘INCREDIBLY GOOD’ AT COUNTER ATTACK

“The message was also that these Lions are an incredibly good attacking team, especially on the counter-attack. The Lions are a team that can score tries and are hard to stop once they get going. They just don’t go away.

“The Lions are well-coached, super fit and a very close-knit group, which makes them difficult to beat. The first 20 minutes were our best in a very long time and at that stage it looked like a one-sided affair. We had them by the throat. Then we let them in for two tries in seven minutes, and the yellow card put us under a lot of pressure for a while. It frustrates me.”

White said the Bulls still needed to learn to put the hammer down on teams, as they failed to do when they were 17-0 up and made an error that led to the yellow card for Stedman Gans and the first of two quick Lions tries. White said instead of replying with a poor kick, Embrose Papier should have taken the opportunity and run back at the Lions.

“It was a poor kick from the Lions and I would’ve loved Emmy to back himself there and see how far he can get down field,” he explained.

“From that, we didn’t only concede seven, but a yellow card as well, which put us under the pump for a while as well. Those are the things that frustrate me, because we’ve almost got them by the throat and about to put them out, and then we go and do something like that.

“Just no control. It’s no one’s fault. We don’t find touch and the clock’s against them, and we do it again – those are coach-killers.

LACK OF LEADERS

“But no Marcell (Coetzee), Elrigh (Louw), Ruan (Nortjé), our captains, and we seem to sort of get quiet when that happens. That’s what I’m working hard on: that’s the time when you must talk the most.

“We just tried to make it so difficult for ourselves, and what I’m really happy about is that after doing that, I had a chat with them at halftime and we sort of tightened up again.”

“And I put that down to Willie. You guys put a lot of media time into is he a 10? But it’s irrelevant what position he is the best at. For me and our group, I need him to be close and to control things.”

LE ROUX PRAISED

White praised Le Roux further for the role he had in how the Bulls secured the bonus point in the second half and pulled away from the Lions.

White praised the influence of veteran flyhalf Willie le Roux in the absence of the Bulls’ other leaders due to injury.

“Willie played a key role in terms of how he controlled play near the forwards. With so many leaders on the sidelines, he provides valuable guidance. When the injured guys come back, we will get more direction. We can only get better and better.”

“To get a win there like that, and to get a bonus point. Just before halftime, there was a disallowed try, which was held up – I thought it was a try. And that maybe would’ve given us more of a cushion. We missed two conversions, which are four points as well, and is just the way it is.

“That’s one of the shortfalls of not having a recognised goal-kicker. It’s quite ironic, because the first 12 minutes was probably the best we’ve played in a long, long time against anybody.”

But with the Stormers looming, the Bulls now have a different challenge to focus on. One that needs no motivation, and one which will bring in the Loftus faithful this weekend.

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