Bulls’ White turns focus to URC: ‘All that matters now is reaching the playoffs’

Having been dumped out of the Champions Cup on Sunday, Bulls boss Jake White says the only thing that matters now is that his team reach the playoffs in the United Rugby Championship and Currie Cup.

Toulouse beat the Bulls 33-9 in a one-sided last-16 Champions Cup match in France on Sunday, while fellow South African teams, the Stormers and Sharks, advanced to the quarter-finals.

The Stormers will face Exeter Chiefs and the Sharks will be up against Toulouse this weekend.

Playing catch-up

“Once you have to play catch-up against a team like Toulouse it become very difficult,” said White of his Bulls team’s performance on Sunday.

“I thought we played well in the beginning, against a very good team. But we needed to score next after half-time (when Toulouse led 12-9).”

Toulouse then scored three quick converted tries to lead 33-9 after 65 minutes — the final score.

“Playing catch-up means having to take risks, playing from your own half … it become very difficult.

“The margins are small, you need a few things to go your way … just about all the teams that won in European competitions this weekend were at home. The lesson is to play well at home and win to get more home games.”

Playoffs

White said the Bulls would now turn all their focus to the URC and Currie Cup — competitions in which the Pretoria-based team have battled to get wins in in recent times.

“It’s important to understand that when you enter a competition it means nothing if you win the first eight games and lose the next eight as long as you make the playoffs. Because then you have as good a chance as anyone, including the team that’s won 16 in a row, to win the competition,” said White.

“We’re out of the Champions Cup now … but we’ll keep working until we turn the corner in the other competitions.

“The bottom line is one has to make the playoffs … everything else becomes irrelevant. It’s not about what we should have and could have won.”

The Bulls are next up in the Currie Cup against Griquas on Friday and against Zebre in the URC on Saturday 15 April.