Playing Leinster 'like watching a horror movie' for Bulls coach Jake White

Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White speaks to the media after the game. Picture: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Bulls head coach Jake White has compared their URC final experience against Leinster to a “horror movie” and heaped praise on a side which he stressed yet again is a Test-level team and the benchmark for the entire league.

Leo Cullen’s side were 19-0 to the good shortly into the second quarter and they ultimately claimed a first trophy in four years with a four-try, 32-7 defeat of a South African team that was losing a third final in just four years.

“You have to understand, this is not a normal rugby team,” said the former World Cup-winning Springbok coach. “We are naïve when… I made a note in my book, they are 19-0 up and they bring on RG Snyman.

“It’s just a different league altogether and that’s why Leinster supporters are probably so disappointed because they were waiting for that performance the whole year and we just happened to get the 40 minutes that they were waiting for the whole year.

“We couldn’t get our hands on the ball, they started well. After 17 minutes they are 19-0 up and that is after everyone says don’t let them start well. I say again to all the Irish, I don’t think they give the credit to that Leinster team. They are well coached.” 

White had been rich in his praise of Leinster last week in what appeared in large part to set the terms of engagement and frame his side as the underdogs but he was consistent in that take in the aftermath. If anything, the praise flowed even freer.

When asked who they didn’t fire a shot in the opening salvos his reply was simple: they hadn’t been allowed. He referenced the loss to Leinster of Jamison Gibson-Park pre-game and his replacement by Luke McGrath, a man with over 230 provincial caps.

Jacques Nienanber’s defence was singled out for two phenomenal stands in the ten minutes before half-time.

“We got the 40 minutes the Leinster supporters were waiting for the whole season. It was like watching a horror movie, and you hope the ending will be different. This was Test-level rugby. It was like everything was played in fast forward.” For the Bulls, it is back to the drawing board now.

They have already recruited some class players for next season. Centre Jan Serfontein is arriving from Montpellier, Handre Pollard is flying in from Leicester Tigers. That’s a start, no more, against a side that he believes is so far ahead at the summit.

“The lesson I've taken from that is we need more international players to play in our province. I need what Leinster have. I need to be able to fight fire with fire. Leinster, Toulouse, La Rochelle, what do you need to win those games? Academy players or seasoned internationals?

“The biggest cheer tonight was for Jordie Barrett. He's not Irish. Please don't take it the wrong way but that's what I've learned. They're sitting in the coaching box, 19-0 up, and say, ' RG, warm up.' They put him on and let him menace the defence like he did tonight.” What they need, he said, is to fight fire with fire.