In the wake of the Vodacom Bulls’ 30-point Champions Cup defeat to Exeter Chiefs, Jake White has again made his case for the top South African talent playing abroad to return home to boost the local franchises.
The men from Pretoria kicked off their competition debut last week with a bonus-point win at home, but White’s charges in Exeter on Saturday – a spattering of veterans with a host of youngsters – were no match for a Chiefs outfit brimming with international campaigners.
Trailing 32-7 at half time at Sandy Park, the Bulls went down 44-14 after they scored only two tries to the Chiefs’ six, and were guilty of giving away far too many penalties while handling errors cost them at crucial times.
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In the buildup to Saturday’s clash, White admitted that the rematch of last season’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship final against the DHL Stormers on Friday governed his decision to leave as many as 21 front-line players in the Republic for the trip to Cape Town.
Yet speaking in a post-match teleconference from England, the Bulls director of rugby rued the likes of Springbok star Malcolm Marx not being available to make the SA teams more competitive in all competitions, as well as help groom the next generation.
“Just looking at their team sheet, you’ve got [Scotland internationals] Jonny Gray and Stuart Hogg, [Dafydd] Jenkins from Wales, two other guys from Scotland, [Rory] O’Loughlin from Ireland, Scott Sio from Australia, an Argentinian and Tongan on the bench, and a South African on bench, so that’s what you’re playing against,” White told reporters.
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“We had our chances and didn’t take them, too many mistakes and 10 penalties in the first half that gave them entries into our 22, and they were phenomenal.
“They’re probably the best team we’ve ever played against, and the best team we’ve ever analysed in terms of their hit rate when they get into your 22.
“They’re a very good team and they’ll be up there at the end of this competition, and the learnings [for us] … you can’t give away penalties in your 22 and can’t give away quick ball all the time.
“But let me tell you what I really want: I want Jacques Vermeulen, Jannes Kirsten, Hanro Liebenberg to come back to SA, I want Malcolm Marx to come back to SA, and then I’ll prioritise both competitions.
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“The youngsters I’ve got now are doing phenomenally well, but I need to blend them with a couple guys between the ages of 25 and 30.”
He added: “Long term, in my next five years’ stint, get some of these older guys back, target both competitions, blood these youngsters so they can play with some really strong, senior and hardened professionals.
“Right at the end there [against Exeter] we were on their line and we popped the ball up and someone knocked on, and it just showed the efficiency of their group compared to our players.
“I’ll say it again; [Bulls] tighthead prop, 22 years old, two locks 22 and 20, Cameron Hanekom 20 – at one stage, our forward pack was under 23, 22 even, as an average.
“I’m obviously disappointed but we’ll get it right, I’m 100 percent certain I’ll get it right.”
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