Jake White questions carding of players in Bulls’ defeat to Ulster

Bulls boss Jake White feels his team’s 32-23 defeat at the hands of Ulster in Belfast in a URC match on Saturday doesn’t tell the full story of the match.

The Bulls produced a strong showing in Northern Ireland and were in control for much of the encounter just for the home side to power to victory in the latter stages.

Du Plessis yellow card

It didn’t help the Bulls that they were reduced to 14 men towards the end when replacement hooker Bismarck du Plessis was yellow carded for what appeared to be a perfectly legal tackle.

White said he hoped rugby wouldn’t follow football where players get tackled and don’t get up off the ground, in an effort to win sympathy from the officials.

“There are cleanouts all over the game. I didn’t even think it was a penalty,” said White about Du Plessis’ hit on Ulster flyhalf Billy Burns.

“If he didn’t lie on the ground would it even have been looked at?” questioned White.

“It’s something that will have to be looked at. You don’t want a situation where every time someone stays down it gets referred to the TMO. It’s something that’s happened in football, if you dive you can get sent off.

“There is such a fine line between yellow and red cards and the TMO.”

‘Game of two halves’

Overall, White appeared fairly satisfied with his team’s effort.

“I thought we played well … the scoreline is not a true reflection of the way we played.

“It’s probably one of those seasons … you do all the hard work, and can’t get over the hurdle.”

The Bulls received two yellow cards in the match, something that changed the momentum after the Bulls had been the better team in the first period and led 20-12.

“We went into the break eight points up, and straight after half-time we were one point up after we got a yellow and they scored a try.

“This was a game of two halves.

“We haven’t won for a while and the confidence is low, but there were positive to take out of it. We played well at times, there was a lot of effort and I can’t fault anything really.”

White’s team now go into a Champions Cup week and a last-16 clash against Toulouse in France this weekend.

“It’s a difficult time. It’s testing for everyone. A couple of results at the weekend went our way and it’s kept us alive (in the URC). We’ve now got two games at home left and need to get over the final hurdle (to make the playoffs).

“But it’s now Champions Cup, and it doesn’t get tougher than playing Toulouse in a knockout game in Toulouse. It’s a massive task for us, and an opportunity for us to measure ourselves against some of the best in the world. It’s also a great test for me as a coach.”