Jake White rued the impact of three Vodacom Bulls players sent off in Friday’s defeat to Edinburgh, as red-carded Marcell Coetzee headlines a doubtful trio for next week.
Coetzee received one of three cards in the second half for the Bulls in the Vodacom URC clash at the Hive Stadium, where White’s charges lost 31-23. They will return home with 10 points from a four-week tour to host Connacht next Saturday.
The Bulls led 13-11 at half time but two successive cards – red for Coetzee and yellow for Cameron Hanekom – after the restart would condemn the visitors as the hosts hit back with two quick tries and another in the 63rd minute.
The South Africans closed the gap to within five points with five minutes left, before Sergeal Petersen was shown yellow and an Edinburgh penalty denied the Bulls a losing bonus point.
In a post-match teleconference from Scotland, director of rugby White said: “You play with 13 men for 10 minutes, you play 40 minutes with 14 men, you make it hard for yourself. We made it hard on ourselves playing with 14 men.
“And then not to get a point literally on the last kick, we don’t even get a losing bonus point after all the effort that we put in. But those are the margins and that’s what you’ve got to fight for.
“There were times when we were really good, we stayed in the game and I’ve got to be really proud. With four minutes left we still had a chance to win that game.
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“I can’t be disappointed with the effort or the spirit of the group. Four weeks on tour, we all know how tough that is. So we just got to regroup now and go back home for another tough game next week.”
Coetzee was punished for making shoulder contact with Edinburgh prop Pierre Schoeman’s head, and is set to face a disciplinary review that could rule the co-captain out of action.
There are also question marks over the fitness of flyhalf Johan Goosen and hooker Johan Grobbelaar after both were injured in the Scottish capital.
“I would like to have a review panel and see what we can do but if the laws are like that and that’s what the protocols are then we’ve got to make sure we don’t get caught on the wrong side of those protocols,” White said.
“We’ll have a disciplinary hearing and look at all the factors and hopefully common sense will prevail and if we can, maybe argue a case.”
He added: “Johan Goosen got a head knock, and Johan Grobbelaar, it seems to be a hamstring from a cleanout. So, it’s one of those games when not only do you not get a point but you lose a hooker, you lose your captain to a red card and you lose your flyhalf with an HIA.
“So it’s probably taken its toll, this fourth game of the tour, but we’ve just got to regroup, it’s the same for everybody.”
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