The Vodacom Bulls were outmuscled by the Sharks in Durban on Saturday and Jake White says the current slump provides last year’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship runners up with a “massive character test”.
Having suffered a 37-27 reverse against the Stormers in round 10, the Bulls powered into a 13-6 lead at Kings Park on Saturday, but yellow cards to Canan Moodie and Cyle Brink sparked a 40-minute drought for the visitors during which the Sharks scored 21 unanswered points in a 47-20 bonus-point victory.
The Bulls director of rugby, White had rested a host of heavy hitters in the European Champions Cup debut to field full-strength match-day squads for the back-to-back URC derbies against the Sharks and Stormers.
REPORT: Sharks carve Bulls on New Year’s Eve
The gamble did not pay off, at least in the short term, and speaking post-match from Durban on Saturday, White told reporters: “The Sharks play with power, they have unbelievable power in their pack and in their backs as well, just look at the size of their backs.
“So you can’t play 13-man rugby against that, trying to stop their power game. I thought we played well for the first 30 minutes when we kept the ball and moved them around a bit, but as soon as we got down to 13 and they put their foot on the gas in the 22… I mean that first half went on for (an extra) six, seven minutes and it was probably the beginning of us having to play catch-up.
“Although we scored a great try from our own half which is probably going to be one of the tries of the season, it obviously wasn’t good enough.
“Once they play their power game and get the ball in the 22 and use their pack of forwards, they’re good enough to score against anybody. And once that opportunity came and they repeated and repeated it, it was difficult for us to stop their power.
ALSO: The crown belongs to Dobbo
“The Sharks are probably the most Test-laden team in SA; you can’t play with 13 men and give them a 30-13 start at half time and expect you’re going to roll them over at home.”
The Bulls were valiant in trying to exit their half in the final minutes against the Sharks, but it was not to be and Moodie found himself on the receiving end of another yellow card, and a subsequent red, this time for a high tackle.
He initially sparked the game to life with a chip-and-chase that bounced favourably for the Springbok to collect and finish under the poles.
White added: “We’ll get it right, that’s one thing about sport. We’ve clearly played against two massive teams with plenty of Test experience; this time last year we were in the same boat, bottom of the log and feeling like we weren’t going to see the playoffs.
“And that’s the character of what we’ve got to do; we now have to look inward and see where we can improve. This will be a massive character test for us as a group, both coaches and players, to start the new year with energy and get both our campaigns on track.”
The Bulls now travel to Wales to face the Dragons at Rodney Parade in the URC on Friday, before a Champions Cup rematch against Exeter Chiefs in Pretoria eight days later.
HIGHLIGHTS: Sharks, Stormers coast into 2023
Photo: @BlueBullsRugby/Twitter
