VIDEO: The 'school fees' Jake's Bulls have to pay
16/04/2024 11:30
The Bulls bombed out of the Champions Cup in unglorious fashion this past weekend - a humbling 22-59 loss to the leading Premiership side Northampton Saints.
However, Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White, rather than being crestfallen, was emboldened by a long-term project he feels could turn the Pretoria-based franchise into the Leinster of the South African game.
That project includes letting the talented young players in his squad feature in crunch matches like the quarterfinal loss to the Saints - in essence, they must 'pay their school fees'.
It is not an approach that will or has gone down well with the fickle fan base in the Republic or the even more mean-spirited media in the United Kingdom.
That was evident when White named his team to face the Saints in a European quarterfinal last Saturday.
The belligerent bombardments did not stop after the match, but White stood his ground boldly.
"[Janko] Swanepoel is 24-year-old, Seb [Sebastian de Klerk] is 24, [Cameron] Hanekom is 21, the No.5 lock [JF van Heerden] is 19," he said, adding: "It is the nature of what we have.
He pointed out the many senior Springboks playing abroad - in Japan, France and the United Kingdom.
"Many of our seasoned professional players are also playing abroad," the Bulls boss said.
White also shared his message to the Saints team during his post-match visit to their dressing room.
(WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White talks about the long-term project he is busy with at Loftus Versfeld....)
"You have no right to just come here and win a game," he said, adding: "You have to pay your school fees.
"As an example. Racing 92 has lost two [European] finals. They have always been there and thereabouts. [It is] an incredible team with a great budget, yet they can't get over the line.
"It shows you - you have to put a lot of hard yards, time and effort in if you want to compete at this level."
White also debunked the suggestion that it is only tough for South African teams to compete in both the URC and European Cup.
He used Leinster as an example - the top Irish province, littered with internationals - yet they could not win either competition for the last two years.
"Of course it is difficult," White said of playing in the URC and Champions Cup, adding: "You heard Courtney Lawes [who captain Saints against the Bulls] ask: 'Which one do you want to win - the Premiership or the Champions Cup?'
"When last was Saints in the [Euro] semifinal? Just two players from the current squad featured the last time they reached the semis.
"It shows you how difficult it is."
White reiterated that he is enjoying the fact that his players get to experience the top end of a competition that is close to the Test arena.
"We want to be here," he said, adding: "We want to be a powerful side that can be competitive every weekend.
"You need to serve your time and this is only our second year.
"That [learning curve] is what we still have to go through."
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