The Vodacom Bulls ended their year on a disappointing note, suffering their third consecutive defeat across all competitions with a narrow 20-17 loss to the Sharks in Durban on Saturday. Despite leading at halftime and dominating several aspects of the game, the Bulls once again fell short, leaving head coach Jake White searching for answers.
The Bulls head into a two-week break before resuming their Investec Champions Cup campaign against Castres on 11 January, but White is already looking ahead to 2025 with a mix of optimism and frustration.
Disconnect and Frustration
Speaking after the match, White expressed his concern over recurring issues in his team’s performances. Comparing his struggles to Pep Guardiola’s recent challenges with Manchester City, White hinted at possible miscommunication between himself and the players.
It’s three weeks in a row now where we’ve had situations to put opponents away. We dominated every single part of the game and still never won, said White.
“It’s frustrating. I don’t think the players are not trying or that they’re bad players, but we look like we’re swimming against a current all the time.”
White also lamented critical errors at crucial moments, stating: “When it’s on, we look fantastic, but then we kick when we should run or run when we should kick. It’s those little things that make me wonder if we’re in sync as a team.”
Room for Optimism
Despite the recent losses, the Bulls remain top of the SA Shield and third overall in the Vodacom URC standings, a position White believes provides a strong foundation for the new year.
“There’s no reason to panic,” he added. “We’ve played five of our seven games away from home and still sit top of the SA log. There’s a lot of upturn that’s going to come in the new year.”
However, White emphasized the need to address recurring mistakes to ensure the Bulls reach their full potential. “We didn’t get beaten tonight – we lost. That’s the frustration we need to work on.”
The Bulls will now take time to regroup before a challenging schedule in the Champions Cup and URC in January 2025.