Jake White has expressed his frustrations with the mandatory water-break rule following the prolonged, stop-start Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash between the Vodacom Bulls and Connacht on Friday night.

The Bulls overcame their own ill-discipline to secure a bonus-point win to continue their unbeaten start to the URC.

However, the game kicked off at just past 6:30pm, but went over the two-hour mark, as lengthy TMO reviews and water breaks halted the flow of the match.

Currently, the URC’s water-break rule allows for two short intervals per half but, after the final whistle, White pleaded for a rethink, as it partly affected the spectacle at Loftus Versfeld.

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“The one area we need to look at are these water breaks. I’m not quite sure about them taking place at so many different times as determined by the match officials,” said White.

“I don’t know how other teams feel, but I generally don’t think it’s helping us. These breaks could come at a really important time in the game, like when you’re building pressure.

“We’ve got to look at it again, either it has to be in specific slots like every 20 minutes or just can them.

“I don’t think it’s really about the weather, about whether it’s hot or not. What just needs to happen is for the officials to decide what time these breaks take place,” added White.

“The referee is worrying about so many other things, too, that he might just decide: ‘Water break!’. I don’t understand what the logic is when it comes to calling those intervals.

“They open themselves up to scrutiny. For example, if they call a break just when a team is starting to get into the game or has a great opportunity, you take away that momentum.

“You’re inviting discussions that really can be avoided. We have half time, then straight after that we kick the ball down the field, Connacht dot down and a second later their No 3 prop is getting attention. That’s fine because maybe that guy really needs it.

“But then we call the water break a few minutes later? It’s a domino effect of what happens in those 10 to 15 minutes that influences the rhythm of both teams.

“We’ve got to have a discussion about whether we really need them or not. Of course, there will be times when I’d love one because we’re under the pump, but that’s secondary to a game losing its shape.”

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