Leading local coach launches tirade against SA Rugby
Bulls coach Jake White has unleashed a brutal verbal barrage against SA Rugby for a shocking lack of planning and communication.
This past weekend the in-form Bulls blew French team Lyon off the park at Loftus Versfeld to advance to the quarter-final of the Champions Cup for the first time, outscoring the visitors nine tries to three.
The Bulls will now face the Northhampton Saints in England this Saturday in their top-eight fixture in the prestigious tournament.
However, despite the impressive result, Bulls coach Jake White was a frustrated figure after the match, slamming SA Rugby bosses for perhaps thinking his team wasn’t going to win.
White made this somewhat sarcastic remark due to the fact the team still had no clarity over any travel arrangements from SA Rugby.
“When we went to Leinster we had to fly in eight different planes, I suppose it’s going to be the same… I haven’t got any flight details yet.
“Either they didn’t think we were going to win, or they waited until the last minute to book those flights and it’s frustrating, it’s really frustrating. I think SA Rugby will probably be shouting for Munster because they won’t be exposed on flights out of here.
“Who books a holiday, or travel abroad on a Sunday night at four o’clock when you want to leave that week to go to a game, and with 40 people? So, I’ll be cheering for Munster because then we’ll stay at home and there won’t be eight aeroplanes flying with different people around the world, via different places, with different buses and different shuttles picking the team up for what is probably our biggest game this year.”
Jake White ran out of patience with SA Rugby
White suggested the team’s preparation would be severely compromised due to the lack of forward thinking.
“You adapt to the fact that you’re not sure if you’re leaving on Tuesday or staying here; if we play Munster, it’s Sunday afternoon, if we play Northampton, it’s Saturday evening. Logistically, that means when are we leaving, which flights are we on, are we staying?
“I don’t think everyone involved in the game has twigged on to that, we blame the supporters for not understanding it, but I don’t think [other] people have twigged on to that this is a quarter-final in Europe. Can you imagine Barcelona playing Liverpool in the quarter-final of the Champions League and not knowing if they’re leaving on Tuesday or staying on Sunday?”
Sorting out these sort of logistical nightmares clearly highlights the need for SA Rugby to find a replacement for Rassie Erasmus now that he has stepped away from his role as director of rugby.
Apparently, former Springbok flyhalf Louis Koen is a strong candidate to take on this role, but nothing has been confirmed as yet.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls 59 (28) – Tries: Sebastian de Klerk (2), Embrose Papier (2), Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Vermaak, Willie le Roux, David Kriel, Chris Smith. Conversions: Johan Goosen (5), Smith (2).
Lyon 19 (7) – Tries: Martin Page-Relo, Penalty try, Thaakir Abrahams. Conversion: Paddy Jackson.