Bulls in a 'very difficult position'

REACTION: Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White knows that his team will have to reach the United Rugby Championship play-offs the hard way after they lost another home game.

The Bulls went down 22-29 to the Sharks after playing most of the match with 14 men after Morne Steyn was sent off for a dangerous high tackle on Lukhanyo Am in the 11th minute.

White's side also dropped points at home a couple of weeks ago when they lost 26-30 to the Stormers.

The Pretoria side is currently 12th in the overall standings and are third in the South African Shield, five points behind leaders the Stormers.

"It puts us in a very difficult position in this competition," said White.

"I have coached long enough to know that you got to win your home games.

"We have now lost two home games. We now got our backs against the wall and that is just inevitable.

"But good teams find a way to get themselves into the play-offs and that is the challenge we are going to have now.

"We are going to have to find another way. Sometimes we have the high road and this week we probably going to have to go down the low road.

"Since I have been here, we have been top of the log in Super Rugby, we have been top of the log in the Currie Cup and top of the log in the Rainbow Cup.

"It is the first time this group is now not top of the log and there are other challenges sporting teams have to do.

"In terms of where we are it is not a great place to be log-wise, but it is another way of us learning as a group."

Despite the defeat, White said there were several positives for his team.

"There is a lot to be positive about in that game," said the Bulls boss. "You lose your flyhalf with 65 minutes left to go and then you still score four tries against a team who have about eight or nine incumbent Springboks in their team.

"It is probably the best team that is available in South Africa. There is a lot of pleasing things there.

"I think the result is not what we want, but you can't question their commitment and their character.

"The reality is I thought we were all over them, but the game is about playing 80 minutes and it is about playing with 15 guys on the field and we probably let ourselves down by not doing that."

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