Bulls loss, yet another final

So the bulls have now played in 3 URC finals and have taken some big scalps along the way, but are yet to the lift the trophy. Equally, Leinster had a few bare seasons for the past 5 years. Not able to win the European cup not the URC, but this year they got knocked out in the Semis which made their determination so much more pressing. In the past they would sacrifice the URC and put all in for the cup.

So what should the bulls do. Persist with Jake and give him another crack?

Jake also start rambling off why the team he played is so much better than his. Yes, they have the entire Irish team plus RG and Barrett which makes them formidable. Yet, Jake moans that he needs a better crop of players to win.

However, this is where Jake is wrong. He wants to just buy players, but all the money doesn't always buy you success which the Sharks have come to learn. Leinster is not a club based purely on money but a system in place that they have worked on for decades which Irish Rugby is the beneficiary of. Same is the Crusaders, they have a fantastic rugby system in place.

Bordeaux did the same, they invested in youth and it showed eventually.

I can't see Jake developing a new style or brand of rugby. His players are a bit long in the tooth and he doesn't have that many young players to show for.

So I'm not sure whether Jake should get another season

KC

That il be decided upon by Motsepe and Rupert who invested heavily in the Bulls and appointed Brits is thier advisor on rugby issues, My guess is that before the start of the next URC season in August 2025 White would resign as coach - a firing will be decided on if White refuses to resign - and that would be a huge certainty,

The Bulls has a lot of younger players - but they were shit on Saturday and the loosies in particular was BS supreme. Without Hanekom a huge percetage of the forward play is lost. I cannot understand the fascination of coaches with Van Staden and Coetzee for example.

By the way I think Willie will soon join the Erasmus coaching training program on a permanent basis - he may get two July matche to take him to a 100 Springbok caps - a target set by Erasmus himself. So my guess is that Willie will be in squads initially - but never played - or be part of the coaching set-up on a permanent basis, He may just and up as the coach of the Bulls in future.

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Jake is a serial moaner and who is he buying next Orie - fuck me can it get any more short sighted than that

Dump Jake, along with Dobson and Plumtree and get some new coaching blood in - Franco Smith, v Graan and Ackerman etc

Korn, I'm not necessarily disagreeing, but rather pointing out some issues with your argument.

I'll do it via pasting parts of you posts...

"Equally, Leinster had a few bare seasons for the past 5 years. Not able to win the European cup not the URC,"

So they haven't won anything for a while.

Then this...

"Leinster is not a club based purely on money but a system in place that they have worked on for decades which Irish Rugby is the beneficiary of."

Do you see the problem?

They won something this year. But last year, the year before that or the year before that one could pick holes in what they were doing as well.

It was essentially the Irish team, playing at home against a team with much less talent. Only two backs…..Willie (who had a mare) and Moodie, one forward, Wilco, are realistic Bok candidates. And probably not first choice in any but Wilco’s case.

Get real, that army of retreads making it to the final is an accomplishment.

On paper, Leinster is a better team man-for-man than the Bulls. Making the finals is a decent result, no team was going to be beat them on form this year at home in a final.

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Harold Voster is a Currie Cup player when put against the likes of Barratt.

Goosen promised much in his earlier years, but he never matured into much.

Willie Leroux on a bad day is like calamity James.

Thanks plumb, and you are right about the contradiction. This is something I’m grappling with. Should they give him another season. He has now had five seasons at the bulls with almost winning every season.

His style of rugby is so outdated. What works for him is his monster pack that dominates, but when you come up against a world class international pack it is not so easy. He did the same almost 20 years ago with the boks. Once you blunt his team up front they run out of ideas.

also, note before half time and this where Nienaber game plan came to the fore. This Irish players were double tackling and driving the bulls runners back. The hulls were going backwards. When they did try go wide they made poor passes and kicks. It was a very poor game plan. That defensive system is exhausting and a nit more patience could have played off. This is where I would have gone for drop goals, up and unders or just grubbed or chip to turn the around.

so what if you give the ball away. They either have to kick the ball away but they would go for safety if under pressure. This was a game for line out drives and drop kicks.

I just don’t think Jake has it. The first thing he did is moan about how poor his team is. He has had 5 years to bring the best youngsters through. He only has Jan Hendrik, Moodie and Hannekom to show for it and not forgetting Kriel.

The old bulls team had so many stars. Serfontein, Pollard, RG, Kriel to name a few. But where is his spine?

My own feeling is that White does not have the coaching ability to develop players. He is 0ften good in the first year after employment - but fails therefter. H was an asset for SA Rugby = nut O think his coaching style became badly outdated,

It is time for him to go into retirement or become a rugby commentator for media outlets otr maybe go back to Japan.

I think the 2024-25 was his alst oppornity and he will not coach the Bulls in the 2025-26 seasson. Wonder who that would be. Ackerman may be chosen or eve Van Graan or Smith - but the ultimate appointment will also have to be endorse by Erasmus as Director of SA Rugby.