It’s like everything was in fast-forward, says Jake White after Bulls bashed by Leinster in URC final

Jake White refused to blame referee Andrea Piardi, Willie le Roux or anyone else for the Bulls’ shortcomings in their deflating 32-7 United Rugby Championship final defeat to Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.

Rather, the veteran coach – having had to explain what went wrong in a third title decider in four years – agreed that his team hardly got into the game due to the home side’s relentless approach that saw them score three tries in 23 minutes to effectively end the game as a contest.

“It’s the third final we’ve played in, and standing on the field and watching another team lift the trophy does... I suppose those are motivational moments that sportspeople take going forward,” White said.

“But I think you’ve got to understand: this is not a normal rugby team. I made a note in my book that they were 19-0 up, and they bring on RG Snyman...

“It’s just a different league altogether. I said in the interview, that’s why Leinster (fans) are so disappointed, because they’ve been waiting for that 40 minutes the whole year.

“We just happened to get what the supporters have been waiting for the whole season. We couldn’t get our hands on the ball, and they defended us. They started well...

“Everyone talks about not letting them get a runaway start, and then they are 19-0 up after 23 minutes. I can just say to the Irish, I don’t think the Leinster team sometimes get the credit that (they deserve).

“They are well-coached, and I must say they’re fantastic guys as well. I saw Josh van der Flier today... I mean, world-class – world-class as a person. So, yeah, I mean, it’s all credit to them.

“I can’t praise them enough. I’ve said it to you many times since I started here at this level with URC, they are the benchmark, and tonight, they showed it again.

“We were never going to win that game when they got that 14-point start.

“Once they get that start, I can’t remember any team that’s come back from 19-0 down and beaten them.”

The ruthless efficiency that is the hallmark of the Leinster game was on show in the opening 40 minutes, and White said coach Leo Cullen and the 46,127 spectators in attendance would have been delighted to see their team fire at full throttle after missing out on the Champions Cup crown.

Captain and No 8 Jack Conan opened the scoring in the sixth minute already, and then All Black star Jordie Barrett hacked the ball ahead and dotted down eight minutes later.

Irish openside flank Van der Flier burst through the middle of a lineout drive in the 23rd minute to register a 19-0 lead, and it was a steep task ahead for the Bulls to mount any sort of challenge.

They made life difficult for themselves with a lack of intensity with ball-in-hand, opting for one-off runners on attack instead of stretching the Leinster defence.

White praised his fellow former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber for his renowned rush defence system that swallowed up the pedestrian Bulls attack, while many of Johan Goosen’s tactical kicks went too far, and Willie le Roux’s little chips didn’t work either.

The Pretoria side didn’t get the necessary rewards in the scrum either, despite Wilco Louw getting the better of Andrew Porter.

“Just a credit to Jacques and the defence. They didn’t allow us to... Probably we were a little bit one-off instead of running in numbers,” White said.

“We didn’t have people around the ball to create pressure. And that’s what happens when you’re under the pump against a good team.

“So, of course, I’m sitting here saying to you, it’s not ideal, but you’ve got to give credit to you.

“I’ll make no bones about that. That was another level up. That was Test rugby.

“We turned the ball over or they turned the ball over, and I look up and I think there’s space. And when I look, there’s three of their players running back. I mean, it’s like everything’s in fast-forward.

“So that was, even for the players, they saw a different intensity and tempo and organised picture than they haven’t seen all season.

“We don’t ever tell Willie what to do. It either works or it doesn’t work. You know that!

“But I think he’s got 98 Tests. I think he’s probably got one 20th of what those Irish players have in terms of the numbers.

“So sometimes players, you know, that’s what happens when the pressure just comes from the front all the way to the back. They can’t look at Willie and go, you know, what happened there?

“It was very simple. Scrums. We gave penalties away. Lineouts, we’ve got poor ball.

“Defensively, we couldn’t carry through them. You know, so I’m repeating it. It was quality. That’s a quality Irish provincial team. That’s a really quality provincial team.

“I’ve been reading lots and listening to all these podcasts and shows, and the reason they disappointed, they wanted to see that 40 minutes replicated every single Saturday against everybody.

“Because then, we were trying. It wasn’t like we weren’t trying.

“So, I don’t blame it on any senior players.

“We were outplayed tonight and we were beaten by a side that I know that when they find their mojo, which they did tonight in that first 40 minutes, they’re good enough to beat anybody.

“That side, as I said, that’s the kind of side that would run out and play against all the big European clubs and beat them.”

Points-Scorers

Leinster 32 – Tries: Jack Conan, Jordie Barrett, Josh van der Flier, Fintan Gunne. Conversions: Sam Prendergast (2), Ross Byrne (1). Penalties: Prendergast (2).

Bulls 7 – Try: Akker van der Merwe. Conversion: Johan Goosen (1).