It is time for the Bulls to come out of their shell on attack and not just rely on their forwards to win.
That will be the message from coach Jake White to his players on Monday when they meet at Loftus Versfeld to look back on Saturday’s 29-19 United Rugby Championship defeat to the Sharks.
The result should be seen as an upset, considering the strengths of the teams fielded in Pretoria – and the fact that it was a home game for the Bulls.
In addition, the way in which the hosts absolutely decimated the visitors in the scrums and driving mauls – which saw the Sharks concede three yellow cards at the same time to go down to 12 players – should have resulted in a comfortable victory for captain Reinhardt Ludwig and his team.
But it somehow didn’t, and once the “black mist” White referred to afterwards dissipates, they need to find answers quickly, as the Lions are looming at Loftus Versfeld this Saturday (2pm start), followed by the Stormers in Pretoria as well a week later.
“No one is blaming anybody... We had our chances, and played against 13, then 12 men, and then we got a scrum and penalty – and turned it over by giving a penalty away,” White said.
“Then again, we were in the corner and didn’t score. There are so many things that we can still improve, and that’ll be at the back-end of the competition.
“We were just a little bit naive in thinking that it was just going to happen. I wore this today because it is an old-school Bulls jersey, and we did everything old-school Bulls well.
“We scrummed, we mauled them to pieces... We can’t be known as a team that just scrums and mauls everybody, and then not get a result.
Grobbies dots down in the corner 🐂
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) February 15, 2025
Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby take advantage of a 13 man Hollywoodbets Sharks 🟨#BULvSHA | @Vodacom #URC | #VUpYourSummer pic.twitter.com/6xRigunOL8
“So, that’ll be my message on Monday: I just don’t want us to be a team that goes into our shell and be always thinking that we will get scrum penalties and maul penalties, and therefore, we will win the game.
“The rest of the game today was the part that let us down.”
The Bulls were right on top at 12-10 up in 47 minutes after Johan Grobbelaar’s first try.
But White felt that a lack of speed in the backline played a part in them being unable to stop what he called the Sharks’ “sevens players” at the back, such as Jordan Hendrikse, Jurenzo Julius and Lukhanyo Am, who cut the defence to pieces.
Hendrikse puts the Hollywoodbets @SharksRugby ahead again at Loftus 🦈#BULvSHA | @Vodacom #URC | #VUpYourSummer pic.twitter.com/6XktLoNsT9
Hendrikse started the comeback with a 56th-minute try following a terrific bit of running and offload from hot-stepper Julius, and then Player of the Match, openside flank Tino Mavesere, picked up a loose pass from Mpilo Gumede and raced about 50 metres to seal the victory.
White admitted that he faces some tough selection decisions for the Lions encounter this weekend, and that the third-placed Bulls missed star No 8 Cameron Hanekom’s pace across the ground.
Magic from Mavesere 🤌#BULvSHA | @Vodacom #URC | #VupYourSummer pic.twitter.com/tRXbSDC0IH
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) February 15, 2025
Hanekom had a contusion on his leg, but should be ready to feature against the Lions.
But the elephant in the Bulls’ kraal is whether Willie le Roux should continue at flyhalf – or return to fullback – in the absence of the injured Johan Goosen, as he battled to give direction on attack.
Another one😳
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) February 15, 2025
Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby trail by 17 at Loftus! #BULvSHA | @Vodacom #URC | #VUpYourSummer pic.twitter.com/DvIdyuc0RS
Boeta Chamberlain is a specialist flyhalf who can also take over the goal- and line-kicking duties from David Kriel and Le Roux, who missed shots at the posts and touch from penalties a few times against the Sharks.
“We don’t want to be known as a team that can just maul and scrum. That’s probably why I’m frustrated: because we didn’t look like a team, even against 12 or 13 players, that had enough variation,” White said.
“Maybe we just got sucked into thinking that every maul, scrum and lineout was going to get us a win.
“The reason why I took him (Le Roux) off was because he was saying to the doc that his groin is very stiff.
“Again – my call – I just thought that we had enough forward dominance, and I had a 10 (Boeta Chamberlain) who could go to 10. In hindsight, I should’ve left him there, and try to bite through this one.
“But how would I have known (what would happen in the end)? So, put Boeta at 10, he’s a goal-kicker... Who knows, maybe we win the game because he kicks a conversion and it’s a masterstroke.
“But as it worked out, I couldn’t afford for Willie to say after the game that he is out for two to three weeks with a groin, as it’s a luxury we can’t afford at the moment, with other guys out.”