Return of White to give Bulls needed boost

Jake White will physically take charge of the Bulls in a week and a half. It will be not a moment too soon after they suffered another defeat on the road in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Though they had an equal share of the eight tries with the Scarlets on Friday night, they lacked the game management and wherewithal to beat down the challenge of the home team in front of their passionate fans at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli.

The Bulls lost 37-28 in a result that will erode some of their contender status at the business end of the tournament.

They were again without director of rugby Jake White, who is still convalescing after abdominal surgery. White, however, will be back, no doubt with sleeves rolled up for the visit of the Stormers on February 18.

The Bulls are yet to beat the Stormers with him in charge.

On the evidence of Friday night’s performances, both teams will have a few things to iron out.

The Bulls, who started the weekend’s action third on the points table, rarely looked like the team that reached the inaugural URC final in Cape Town last season. They at times lacked composure while they will rue some of the options they took in Llanelli.

Without 15 of their regular starters who are preparing for the start of the Six Nations, the Scarlets looked the more determined side.

The Bulls did have opportunities to make a greater impression on the scoreboard, but that is where a lack of composure undermined their efforts.

Meanwhile, the Bulls have announced that Jannes Kirsten will be back in their fold from July. The Premiership and Champions Cup winner, Kirsten, who operates in the second and back row, has concluded a contract that will keep him at Loftus until June 2026

Kirsten, a former SA U20 player, moved to England in 2019. He made 75 appearances for Exeter Chiefs and was part of their squad that surged to a historic double, when they bagged the Premiership and the Champions Cup titles in the 2019-2020 season.