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White says it doesn't matter that the Bulls have beaten Leinster in two semi-finals and in their previous outing – both sides have an equal chance of winning.
Bulls coach Jake White knows he has a tough final against Leinster coming up. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
“At this point in time there are two teams who have a lotto ticket and have a 50% chance of winning it.”
These were the words of Bulls director of rugby Jake White after his team beat the Sharks in their United Rugby Championship semi-final to set up a mouth-watering final against Leinster in Dublin next weekend.
The Bulls showed maturity in defence, holding the Sharks off despite receiving three yellow cards in the space of twelve minutes, maintaining their lead throughout the game and winning the all-South African knockout match at Loftus three tries to two (final score 25–13).
The Sharks, for their part, rued their mistakes afterwards, which included losing the ball once on the Bulls’ try-line and once being held up, both while they had two more players on the field. They also slotted only one kick out of five during the game.
They only scored an overlap try due to numerical advantage early in the second half while the Bulls were two men short for just two more minutes. But it was too little, too late as the Bulls weathered the storm to only allow the Sharks to score once more during the game.
‘Look what they did to Glasgow’
White did not cut a triumphant figure afterwards. Though he was proud, he knew the challenge that lay ahead of them if they were going to win their first of three URC finals. Irish giants Leinster crushed defending champions Glasgow Warriors 37–19 earlier in the day, only allowing respectability on the scoreboard with some late consolation scores for Glasgow.
“Look what they did to Glasgow and Glasgow beat us last year. They didn’t struggle to beat Glasgow today and I am sure they will be on a high going into a final at home,” White said.
“We are going to need to work hard, we are going to have to get things working in our favour, we are going to have to recover quickly from injury – bumps and bruises. And then we are going to have to play really well.”
‘Ireland’ vs the Bulls – to teams with equal chance
White said the final looked like an Ireland vs Bulls game, with Leinster being full of Irish internationals and British & Irish Lions players. Plus, South African double World Cup winner RG Snyman, New Zealand star Jordie Barrett and French international Rabah Slimani.
“Whether we try and underplay it, we’ve got to understand Ireland have beaten the All Blacks, they’ve beaten many big teams (including the Springboks at the 2023 Rugby Word Cup).”
He said the Bulls’ record of beating Leinster in four of six head-to-head matches, including last year’s semi-final, 2022’s semi-final and this season’s league match between the two teams, counted for nothing against a side that also had their lotto ticket and 50% chance to win it all this year.
