Jake targets Glasgow in redemption mission

06/23/2024 12:43 AM

A disappointed Jake White has circled the date of next season’s trip to Glasgow, vowing the Vodacom Bulls will rebound from their shock URC final defeat to Warriors. DYLAN JACK reports.

The Vodacom Bulls surrendered a 13-0 first-half lead to suffer a 21-16 loss to Glasgow at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night. It was the second URC final disappointment for the Bulls, following their defeat to the DHL Stormers in Cape Town in 2022.

“I’m unhappy. I’m helluva disappointed. We missed an opportunity tonight,” White said, following the match.

“If I’m really honest about where we are, three years, two finals with a really young team. Every guy that came on for Glasgow Warriors is an international. We are not there yet.

“There’s no nice way [to put it]. I’ve told the team that. When you get older, you realise sometimes you have missed an opportunity. Credit to Glasgow. They defended really well. Some of our big ball-carriers got tackled backwards.

“We will be back. I’ve already marked when we play Glasgow away. I already know the date.”

Without Willie le Roux (concussion) the Bulls struggled with their game management and decision-making in try-scoring positions. Devon Williams, deployed to start at fullback, had a solid outing but the Bulls clearly missed Le Roux’s spark on attack, as well as his experience.

“Devon was outstanding. If he had just chipped the ball and chased, he would have scored. I’m not sure whether Willie would have made that linebreak,” White said.

“But we missed Willie because when you are playing in these games, as I said, every Glasgow reserve was an international. When you have a guy like Willie, who has been there, played 93 Tests and won two World Cups, you can’t chuck that away.

“There’s nothing I can say that can make it any easier. We lost away against the Stormers and we’ve lost at home. I myself, lost the Super Rugby final against the Chiefs, the Rainbow Cup in Treviso, lost two URC finals. I will probably need to look at what I need to do as a coach to get over the line.”

White added that Bulls fans will have to be patient and trust some of the youngsters in the team to learn and grow from the experience.

“I also want people to understand what this young team has achieved in three seasons, to play in two finals and a quarter-final. I can’t make it any quicker than it is.

“We have guys like Elrigh, Cameron and David Kriel. They are young, very young. That Glasgow team has a lot of internationals, who play in the Six Nations. So they are a bit more seasoned and aware.”

Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images

The post Jake targets Glasgow in redemption mission appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.