Jake White believes the Bulls are stronger than ever in the bid to finally topple Leinster in Friday’s BKT United Rugby Championship final at Croke Park.
The former Bulls head coach is greatly intrigued by how the visitors will fare having overseen them for three previous deciders in the competition, all of which ended in defeat.
They must do it the hard way against as they travel to Dublin looking to lift the trophy.
White, while acknowledging there can be a negative psychological aspect to failing to get over the line, thinks the South African team are in a much better place on paper compared to last season and through experience built up over various campaigns.
Speaking as a guest on this week’s RTÉ Rugby podcast, White said: “Last year we played without five of the players that will start this week, and five of those players are Kurt-Lee Arendse, Gerhard Steenekamp, Handré Pollard, who would make the starting 23 on any given Test day.
“And then you’ve got Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom. We know how good they are, and they have been. They’re both internationals, they didn’t play last year. I’ve got no doubt the Bulls are better equipped [this year].
“And because they’re a year wiser, a year older. And they’ve been there.”
Leinster captain Caelan Doris and Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee are preparing to do battle
As Leinster come in for criticism for failing to add silverware on a more regular basis, coming up short in finals, the former Bulls coach heaped praise on the province for how consistent they have been in reaching the latter stages of every competition.
“There is no doubt Leinster are the benchmark for any provincial side,” White reminded.
“Leinster, they are always up there in the European Cup games and always up there in the play-offs. I’ve said it many times and sometimes to my detriment that Leinster are one of the clubs [that you admire]. It’s like football, you want to be the Barcelona.
“You want to be the top club in the world and you don’t want to be just another club. Leinster, the last few years, have been that. Some of the highlights of my coaching career has been able to beat sides like Leinster in Leinster. I know how tough it is.
“A lot of the Leinster players have beaten All Blacks, they have beaten Springboks.”
As Leinster fall short in European rugby, it has been missing out on the URC trophy which has been held against the Bulls the most back in South Africa.
White is pleased his former players have another opportunity in front of them.
“It’s crazy. We always talk about, as ex-players, ‘if only I had one more chance to play one more time’.
“I’m hoping the Bulls understand they are not going to get many more opportunities. I said that to the players in the team-talk before last year’s final. Here they are a year later back in the final.
“I think the message would be clear, they’ve got to take this chance. The stars have aligned from a point of view that they have all their star players fit and available.
“I’ve seen lots of teams get to different finals and never win it. There’s no right, in other words, to actually win a final. You have to play well.
“I know how good Leinster can be when they’re on song. You have to play well to beat Leinster.”
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Follow a live blog of Leinster v Bulls (Friday, 7.30pm) on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app, and listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1’s Inside Sport