White adamant Bulls’ defeat not due to ‘B Team’ selection
Bulls coach Jake White defends team selection in Champions Cup loss, dismissing allegations of disrespecting the competition.
The Vodacom Bulls’ progress in the Investec Champions Cup came to an abrupt end on Saturday night, as they suffered a heavy 59-22 defeat to Northampton Saints. Despite the disappointing result, Bulls coach Jake White remained defiant in the face of allegations that he had “disrespected” the competition by fielding a largely second-string side.
White was quick to dismiss the notion that he was “whinging” about being in the tournament, stating, “I’m loving this competition. I’m loving the fact that we get exposed to this, and I’m loving that these players can learn what they learned tonight.”
White: “This is Not a ‘B-Team’ or a Second Team”
The Bulls coach continued to defend his team selection, emphasising that it was not a matter of disrespect. “This is the team I felt needed game time based on combinations. I wasn’t prepared to take a risk on players I will need in the back end of a competition,” White explained.
He also highlighted the challenges faced by South African franchises in terms of player recruitment, noting that they don’t have the same luxury as European teams when it comes to signing players from other nations.
White’s Disappointment with Team’s Performance
Despite his unwavering support for his team selection, White expressed his dissatisfaction with the Bulls’ performance against Northampton Saints. “I wasn’t happy with the way we played in that first period, but it was nice to be in the game when the halftime whistle went, especially because we were 28-10 down at one stage, and it looked like they could run away from us,” he said.
White was particularly frustrated with his team’s inability to maintain their focus and intensity after the break, conceding two quick tries that effectively ended their chances of mounting a comeback.
The Need for South African Players to Return Home
Looking to the future, White expressed his desire to see South African players currently plying their trade abroad return to play for their home franchises in the Champions Cup. “My wishes are to get all the guys that play abroad to come back and play in this competition for the South African franchises,” he stated.
White cited the example of Tyrone Green, a South African player who was named man of the match in the Harlequins game, as evidence of the talent that could be available to South African teams if these players were to return home.
Moving Forward and Learning from the Experience
While the Bulls’ Champions Cup campaign may have ended in disappointment, White remains optimistic about the future and the lessons learned from the experience.
“You have to understand we don’t have the luxury of signing Kiwis, Fijians, and Tongans like the European market have. We don’t have that for a lot of reasons,” he explained.
Despite the challenges faced by South African franchises, White is determined to continue developing his players and building a team capable of competing at the highest level in European rugby.