Bulls re-sign Boks to unlock Nienaber’s defence

Jake White hopes the return of Jan Serfontein and Nico Janse van Rensburg can help the Vodacom Bulls step up to the level of URC champions Leinster next season.

The Bulls chief used the post-match conference following Saturday’s 32-7 defeat at Croke Park to outline his strategy for bridging the gap to the elite clubs in the northern hemisphere, such as Leinster.

He confirmed the re-signing of 35-Test Springbok centre Serfontein and one-cap forward Janse van Rensburg from Montpellier, as well as 2022 URC winner Paul de Wet and the already-announced acquisition of Handre Pollard.

“There’s going to be new challenges next year again. I need to sit with the decision-makers and find out what we need in order to make the step up,” White told reporters.

“Next year, we signed Handre Pollard and he’s coming as a 10. We signed Jan Serfontein; he was a real young prodigy that was with me at Montpellier, so that again is two really good signings.

“Paul de Wet, the scrumhalf from the Stormers, is coming to join us [and] Nicolaas Janse van Rensberg, a lock-flanker who has played Springbok rugby as well.

“I’m not for one saying that’s going to solve it, but we’re going to have to look and see what else we need in order for our team to go to the next level.”

The former Bok boss hailed Leinster’s evolution under fellow World Cup-winning tactician Jacques Nienaber, whose defensive system restricted the Bulls to just a converted try on Saturday. 

RECAP: Leinster lash Bulls to win URC title

“It would be wrong of me not to say Jacques’ defence was outstanding,” White said. “We tried bashing their line. We were a little bit one-off instead of running in numbers. We didn’t have people around the ball to create pressure, and that’s what happens when you’re under the pump against a good team.

“But you’ve got to give credit where credit’s due. And this is, out of the three finals, by far the toughest final we’ve had. And I make no bones about that.

“Just defensively tonight, you saw the added value that he [Nienaber] brings as a defence coach, and he is well known,” he added. “Jacques came in and probably tightened up the defence, and now the jigsaw puzzle is coming together, because they haven’t moved away from attacking, and their defence has become much harder to break down.”

It was the Bulls’ third URC final defeat in four years, as Leinster avenged two semi-final exits to White’s charges, and the veteran coach emphasised the urgency of his rebuild to compete with the Irish giants.

“There’s no doubt that Leinster won’t go backwards, Leinster will continue going forwards,” he said. “It’s a little bit like a Formula One racing car: Your pit stop is three seconds, and theirs is two, and you think when you get to two he can catch them, they’re probably on 1.3 by then, and then you’re still behind.

“Our job is now to make sure that we can try and fast track whatever we need to fast track so that we can compete, because we’re going to find it hard to beat teams like this at Croke Park and Aviva if we don’t catch up.”

Photo: Seb Daly/Gallo Images