Bristol Bears game like a decider, says Bulls boss Jake White

The Bulls’ result in their upcoming Champions Cup encounter against the Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate on Saturday will determine if they progress to the knockout stages, drop to the Challenge Cup or fall out of European rugby completely this season.

This is the view of their director of rugby, Jake White.

The veteran coach is taking his side to England to take on a team that is also desperate to get a win to keep them in the running for a playoff spot. Things are getting heated in the Champions Cup as it’s heading toward the conclusion of the pool stages.

Pool 1 makes for interesting reading as out of the six teams, five are in the running to make the top four to reach the playoffs.

Bordeaux are first with 10 points followed by fellow Top 14 side Lyon with seven points. There are three teams on five points — the Bulls in third, Saracens in fourth and Bristol in fifth, with Irish side Connacht sixth and bottom with one point.

Crucial clash for Bulls

From his experience, White sees their clash with Bristol as a game that will indicate where they will finish in the pool.

“It’s a tough competition as I say to you every week, winning one and losing one puts us in the middle of the pool,” White said when speaking to the media before their departure.

“In a lot of ways, this game (with Bristol) will sort of determine if we go through or not. Yes, I know Bordeaux are still going to come play us (next weekend at home).

“I think once this game is over you’ll know where you’re going to finish in the pool; you’ll know if you’re in or out of the playoff or in the Challenge Cup or getting a weekend off. It’s a massive game for us,” he said.

Tough playing conditions

As the Bulls will be playing at 4°C under cloudy conditions on Saturday afternoon, White will be counting on his brigade that have experience of being based in Europe.

The likes of captain Marcel Coetzee, front rowers Wilco Louw and Akker van der Merwe and others will come in handy with their experience of playing in tough conditions.

“The more you have that calibre of player that understands the conditions, the better,” said White when quizzed about the conditions in Bristol.

“That’s where you get value because they understand what the ground is like, what the town is like, what the atmosphere is like and all that sort of thing,” he said.