Bulls director of rugby Jake White has openly admitted that his team selection for the Champions Cup clash against the Bristol Bears was not ideal, but he has shifted the blame onto SA Rugby. White opted to field an understrength team, leaving out key players such as Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Willie Le Roux, and Marco van Staden.
When questioned about his team selection, White explained that he had no choice but to rest the Springboks due to the obligatory eight-week break they are entitled to. He clarified, “Considering they had four weeks post-World Cup, the four or five weeks I had to give them was in the season. There’s nothing untoward about it.”
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White’s decision to rest players for their upcoming home game against Bordeaux suggests that he is undermining the Champions Cup. When asked about this, he candidly admitted, “It does. I mean, I’d like to play every Springbok every single week, but as it is, the lie of the land in our countries is different.”
The Bulls are currently in the running for playoff rugby in both the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup. Despite White’s frustrations, they entered the Champions Cup break ranked sixth overall in the URC, with a game in hand compared to the five sides above them.
In regards to resting players individually, White explained that he has the option to do so, but he prefers to rest all the Springboks at once. He stated, “Some coaches are doing it at different times. I could quite easily have kept Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse for these two games and then given them their time off. I’ve just decided, en masse, I would rather do it all together and bring them back.”
White emphasized that his team selection does not downplay the importance of any player. He highlighted the different approaches taken by other teams, stating, “The Sharks or the Stormers might do it differently. They might do it for five weeks, but that five weeks might be in March, and that is up to them.”
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When considering the players in his squad, White explained his reasoning behind leaving certain players out. He noted, “Marcell (Coetzee) needs to play; leaving Marco (Van Staden) out now is not going to influence anything because I gave Marcell some time. And I think the two wings play well together, so I’d rather have them together, Canan and Kurt-Lee, than one and not the other one.”
While White may face criticism for his team selection, he remains focused on the Bulls’ performance in both the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup. With their current ranking and upcoming games, the team still has a chance to make it to the playoffs.
In conclusion, Bulls director of rugby Jake White has defended his decision to field an understrength team for the Champions Cup clash against the Bristol Bears. He has placed the blame on SA Rugby, explaining the mandatory break for Springbok players. Despite the potential undermining of the Champions Cup, the Bulls are still in contention for playoff rugby in both the URC and Champions Cup. White’s approach to resting players collectively rather than individually has been met with scrutiny, but he remains focused on the team’s performance and upcoming games..
