VIDEO: Bulls' losing streak is 'irrelevant' says Jake White
REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake said his team’s losing streak is “irrelevant” as they pick up the pieces after their Champions Cup exit.
Five-time winners Stade Toulousain delivered a patient and impressive performance in their Round of 16 Champions Cup encounter against the Pretoria side to register a 33-9 victory in Toulouse on Sunday.
That defeat was the Bulls’ sixth in a row when you combine the Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship matches.
If you added the Currie Cup results, then it is 10 matches that the Bulls have lost in a row.
“All I do is read about that,” White told reporters after Sunday’s match.
“Yes, it is something we have to change and it will change. There is no doubt in my mind.
“What is important to understand, when you enter a competition, if you win the first eight games and lose the second eight games and make the play-offs you have exactly the same amount of chances as a team that wins 16 games in a row and gets into the play-offs.
“This [Champions Cup] is a difficult competition. We are out of this one now, but we just got to keep working until we can turn the corner on those other ones.
“Anyone can add up [the losses] however they want to. It’s irrelevant.
“The bottom line is we have to make the [URC] play-offs. That is our main goal now.
“It is not about how many we lost, how many we won and how many we should have or could have won.
“We got to make sure we keep working hard so that we get into the play-offs of all the competitions that are left.”
A bridge too far
The first half of Sunday’s match was riddled with handling errors in the slippery conditions, and despite both teams creating chances on attack, the only points scored were compliments of penalty goals with Toulouse fullback Thomas Ramos slotting over four to two by Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith for a 12-6 lead.
Toulouse dominated the second half scoring three converted tries in 15 minutes, while they limited the Bulls to a penalty goal for their efforts, and this saw the French side earn the convincing win.
“Nothing went wrong,” said White. “I just think we played so well in the beginning and we are playing against a really good team.
“They have a lot of international players and they obviously knew how to manage the game, especially in that first 20 minutes after half-time.
“Once you play catch-up rugby against Toulouse, it is difficult. You got to then start taking risks, you got to start playing from your own half and that becomes difficult.”
White added: “I don’t think there is anything they [Bulls players] could have done better.
“You need to build pressure, especially if you play away from home.
“I think there were 16 Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games this weekend and I think almost everyone won their home game except the two teams that went down from the Champions Cup to the Challenge Cup – Lyon and Clermont.
“You find it hard to win away from home and that is probably what the lesson is.
“You got to do well in the pool stages and make sure you get a chance to play at home [in the knockouts].”
@rugby365com
