'Leinster are not a normal team. 19-0 up and they bring on RG Snyman'
BULLS BOSS JAKE White said he needs more international players if his side are to close the gap on Leinster, who he lavished with praise after their dominant URC final performance.
The Irish province were convincing 32-7 winners in Croke Park. Leo Cullen's men won 19 of their 21 games in the URC this season, topping the regular season table and powering through the play-offs to claim the title.
White, a World Cup winner with the Springboks in 2007, has now seen his Bulls team lose three URC finals. He was gushing in his words about the quality of Leinster as he highlighted the excellence of their showing.
'You have to understand, this is not a normal rugby team,' said White.
'We are naive when… I made a note in my book, they are 19-0 up and they bring on RG Snyman.
'It's just a different league altogether and that's why Leinster supporters are probably so disappointed because they were waiting for that performance the whole year and we just happened to get the 40 minutes that they were waiting for the whole year.
'We couldn't get our hands on the ball, they started well. After 17 minutes, they are 19-0 up and that is after everyone says, 'Don't let them start well.'
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'I say again to all the Irish, I don't think they give the credit to that Leinster team. They are well-coached, they are fantastic guys as well.
'Since I started at this level with URC, they are the benchmark and tonight they showed it again.
'We were never going to win that game when they got that 14-point start. I can't remember any team that has come back from 19-0 down and beaten them. We need to find out how you turn silver into gold now.'
White referenced how smoothly Leinster dealt with losing Jamison Gibson-Park to injury late on in the week, with the experienced Luke McGrath stepping in impressively.
The Bulls boss pointed to Leinster's scrum performance as important too, while he praised the impact of his compatriot Jacques Nienaber on Leinster's defence.
The Bulls were second best. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
'It would be wrong of me not to say Jacques' defence was outstanding,' said White.
'We tried bashing their line. They kept us out just before half time and it must have been a massive boost for them.
'Credit to Jacques and the defence. We were a little bit one-off instead of running with numbers, people around the ball, but that's what happens when you're under the pump against a good team. You have to give credit where credit's due. Out of the three finals, this is by far the toughest final we've had.
'Make no bones about it, they've gone another level up. That was Test rugby. It's like everything is in fast forward.'
Two-time World Cup winner Handré Pollard is among the new additions for the Bulls ahead of next season, but White is worried that the gap to Leinster won't close any time soon.
'The lesson I've taken from that is we need more international players to play in our province,' said White.
'I need what Leinster have. I need to be able to fight fire with fire. Leinster, Toulouse, La Rochelle, what do you need to win those games? Academy players or seasoned internationals?
'The biggest cheer tonight was for Jordie Barrett. He's not Irish. Please don't take it the wrong way but that's what I've learned. They're sitting in the coaching box, 19-0 up, and say, ' RG, warm up.' They put him on and let him menace the defence like he did tonight.
'I keep banging the same drum. I've coached some of the best players in the world, players who have won player of the year twice. If you're playing against 23 internationals, I think today Leinster were short with only 22, there is a complete difference.
'That's a phenomenal provincial team. That must be the best Leinster team, I know that's going to be headline but that must be one of the best Leinster squads they've ever had.'
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