Bulls' finals history is irrelevant, says Jake White
Bulls coach Jake White isn't too focused on the fact that neither them nor Leinster have managed to win a United Rugby Championship (URC) final despite a history of promising campaigns.
The Bulls will take on Leinster in the 2024/25 URC Grand Final at Croke Park on Saturday, 28 June. Since the competition's inception in 2021, both teams have walked a similar path during its short history.
This will mark the Bulls' third final appearance since the start of the competition. While it will be Leinster's first, they have finished at the top of the standings at the conclusion of the league stage in three of the four seasons.
But, come Saturday, the past will matter not, according to White.
'It's different teams, different venues, and different times of the year, ' the Bulls mentor said during a press briefing in Dublin.
'People look into so many things…'this team loses semis, this team loses finals, this team has so many Irish players'. That is irrelevant.'
While the fact that the Bulls have been successful in four of their five meetings with Leinster is a positive on its own, White focused on his team's progress over the years as opposed to zooming in on historical facts.
'This group of players have probably far exceeded expectations of anybody in the last four years,' he said.
'We've made three finals, and the average age of our team over the last four years has been the youngest of most teams in the competition.
'Many of the teams we play are laden with internationals who play in front of big crowds and in big stadiums in pressure situations. That defines players who are good enough.
'I'm not saying that we're not aware that we've had three finals, but we are also very aware that we have exceeded what everyone has expected, and we have probably batted above our weight for a long time.
'Hopefully, this game will be the one where we will learn from the two other opportunities we had to win this competition.'
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