VIDEO - WP coach: 'This wasn't our script'
WATCH as Western Province head coach Labeeb Levy speaks about where it all went wrong following his side’s 23-48 loss to the Bulls in the opening round of the Currie Cup.
The Bulls dominated Western Province in the set-piece and forced them into multiple errors.
Western Province also got caught on the wrong side of the law, conceding 15 penalties compared to the seven of the Bulls.
Their line-out also malfunctioned from the outset, which led to the Bulls’ opening score.
Levy said that the outcome and the way the match unfolded wasn’t the way they had scripted it, but he credited the Bulls for getting the better of them on the day.
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“We didn’t come into this game thinking we’d be outgunned.
“The game didn’t start on our terms. We lost our first line-out, which had a ripple effect.
“They got a 22 metre entry, came around the corner and scored. That wasn’t our script.
“We lost another two line-outs afterwards, so we never really had the ball for the first 30 minutes.
“Credit to the Bulls, they came with a plan that worked, and we expected that.
“We expected that if we gave away penalties, they would fight hard and get entries in our 22-metre area where they were superior in that regard.
“They took their opportunities, especially in the first half.”
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Levy added that the penalties his side conceded were through sheer pressure from the Bulls, who capitalised more often than not through set-piece tries or kicking to the posts.
“It’s pressure. There were 15 penalties we conceded. We did better during the second half.
“We felt that one or two [penalties] might have been a bit harsh.
“They got some nice offloads in the tackle and got in behind us, and while you’re retreating [on defence], the pressure builds and the team makes a wrong call.
“One or two penalties were effort errors, but I want a proper look at it before I make that statement.”
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