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"title": "Bullish Jake focuses on the little things in URC playoffs, while Etzebeth ready for Munster",
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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bulls coach Jake White took an introspective tone as his side prepared for their United Rugby Championship (URC) quarterfinal against Edinburgh at Loftus this weekend.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last year the Bulls gave up a 13-0 lead in the final at Loftus, against another Scottish outfit in Glasgow, to ultimately lose 21-16. It was a hard night for everyone associated with the Bulls, from the fans, to captain Ruan Nortje who made some strange calls in the closing stages, to White, who blamed himself.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While losing a second final (the Bulls lost the 2022 final to the Stormers) in three years was painful, the Bulls are back in contention again as they prepare to face Edinburgh for a third time this year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And key to that is a good start.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We know that we need to start well in these knockout games,” White said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But we also know that we lost to Glasgow in a final because we allowed them to score on halftime with a penalty that we gave away and we didn’t score in the last minute of the game with a driving lineout.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There are a lot of other lessons we have learnt. We started so well, we were 13-0 up in the final and we lost it. For me it is about 80 minutes, and getting all those little things right… starts, finishing, benches, rotation, game time. All of those things are what we have to look at and get right.”</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2738352\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2401086.jpg\" alt=\"Bulls\" width=\"1730\" height=\"1178\" /> <em>The Bulls’ Sergeal Petersen on his way to score his try during their United Rugby Championship match against the Dragons at Loftus on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2738349\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2399626.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1864\" height=\"1101\" /> <em>Bulls coach Jake White at a training session at Loftus Versfeld on 16 May 2025. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bulls beat Edinburgh 22-16 in a URC game earlier this year but lost 34-28 in Edinburgh in a Challenge Cup knockout game.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the latter contest the Bulls started poorly and were 31-7 down before a rearguard saved some blushes but couldn’t alter the inevitable outcome.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Edinburgh beat us a couple of weeks ago, so it’s not much I need to say because I think the players understand, we play Sharks or Munster next week if we win obviously, and I’m just saying those were two teams that beat us this year,” White said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The Sharks and Edinburgh have beaten us. So, there’s not much that I need to say in terms of getting them (the players) ready.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We finished well against Edinburgh. That gives me hope. There’ll be a lot of things that I’ll look at that game and know that if I’m a little bit more… I don’t want to say streetwise, but being a little bit more aware of what happened last time, it may help us in our favour.”</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2738351\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2401085.jpg\" alt=\"Bulls\" width=\"1760\" height=\"1182\" /> <em>Try time for Akker van der Merwe of the Bulls during a URC match against the Dragons at Loftus on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Edinburgh’s South African-born, New Zealand-raised fullback Wes Goosen believes his team have found a way to beat the Bulls, based on that last clash.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It gives us the confidence it can be done,” said Goosen. “For the first 60 minutes of the game in Edinburgh we really dominated and then we let them back in.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But if we do what we do, we push them and stay in the hard moments, I think we can go toe to toe with the Bulls.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s not going to be easy. They are a very physical team with a lot of superstars, but you look at our team – we’ve got good players as well.”</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2738347\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2215053603-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1799\" height=\"1123\" /> <em>Eben Etzebeth in action for the Sharks against the Scarlets in a URC clash at Kings Park in Durban on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Steve Haag Sports / Gallo Images / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n<h4><b>Bok locks</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Sharks host 2023 URC champions Munster in Durban where Bok locks Eben Etzebeth and Jean Kleyn will face off against each other.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second-row battle between the two Rugby World Cup 2023 winners will be a nice little subplot to a game where the Sharks should start as favourites.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s always good to go up against fellow South Africans and I’m sure we’ll get each other in a ruck one or twice and have something to say to each other, in a positive way,” Etzebeth said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He’s a good man and a good player for Munster, and I’m looking forward to going up against him.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Etzebeth has only played a handful of games this season due to concussion and a hamstring strain, in addition to Springbok resting protocols.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He is game shy for sure, but managed to get some minutes on the field against the Scarlets two weeks ago.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It was obviously frustrating with the concussion,” Etzebeth said. “There’s not really a timeline on it, it’s all about your symptoms and how you respond to certain treatments. So I’d think, ‘maybe I’ll be back in a week’s time’ and then it’s a bit longer.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“And then I picked up a hamstring strain and had to sit out a bit more.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But it was good to get that first 80 minutes against Scarlets under the belt. It’s good when you play 20 here or 60 there, but when you finally get a full game, you really feel like you’re back in the mix.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the Sharks, the 2025 campaign has been a positive turnaround from the previous season when they finished 14th. This season they finished third on the log.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Last season we lost the tight matches,” Etzebeth said. “This season we’ve won them, and that’s the difference. A couple of points and you have a home quarterfinal. We’re used to playing those tight games, but hopefully we don’t have to make it too tight (against Munster).</span>\r\n\r\n \r\n<h4><b>Tribute</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Munster meanwhile paid tribute to two fallen members of their community this week.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sheelagh Foley, mother of the late Anthony Foley (who was coach of Munster when he passed), died last week.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former Munster staff member Michelle Payne, also wife of former player and team manager Shaun Payne, passed away in South Africa last week, from breast cancer.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Could I just extend our deepest sympathies to the Foley family and also to the Payne family,” interim head coach Ian Costello said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“They were two very important people in the Munster community and a massive loss to us this week, and that’s very close to our hearts.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Brendan (husband) and Sheelagh were here (in South Africa) this time last year, and Brendan picked up the phone and rang me Sunday morning to almost apologise for not coming and wished us the best.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Obviously Michelle and Shaun were huge in the club as well. That’s really important to the group this week especially as we’re in South Africa as well – very close to our heart.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shaun Payne represented the Sharks before becoming a Munster favourite in the 2000s.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2738346\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2206717314.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1797\" height=\"1121\" /> <em>Edinburgh’s Wes Goosen is tackled by Joe Westwood of the Dragons during a URC match at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on 28 March 2025. (Photo: Ross Parker / SNS Group via Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Munster team will try to channel some of those emotions towards the task at hand, which is beating the third seeds on their home turf. In 2023 Munster did it the hard way, winning in Glasgow (against the Warriors), Dublin (Leinster) and Cape Town (the Stormers) on their way to winning the title.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Rugby is a very, very emotional game and I think any contact sport is,” Costello said. “People talk about physically and mentally where you have to be.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I think the third part of that is emotionally: are you ready to invest everything you have and leave everything out on the pitch.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“That’s you as an individual and you as a team, and when emotionally you’re connected to a purpose or to a cause that comes out in any team sport, especially one as physically demanding as rugby.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“And then when you add in pride in terms of our province, our identity and what we stand for, what we represent, the people, how much we want to make people proud of our performance, so they can identify with who we are and what we’re about, I think all of that amplifies a lot of the good that’s there already and I think a lot of sports teams do it really well.”</span><b> DM</b>\r\n<h4><b><i>URC quarterfinals:</i></b></h4>\r\n<h4><b><i>Friday, 30 May</i></b></h4>\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glasgow Warriors vs Stormers, Glasgow – 8.35pm</span></i>\r\n<h4><b><i>Saturday, 31 May</i></b></h4>\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bulls vs Edinburgh, Pretoria – 1.30pm</span></i>\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leinster vs Scarlets, Dublin – 4pm</span></i>\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sharks vs Munster, Durban – 6.30pm</span></i>\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TV: SuperSport.</span></i>",
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"name": "Edinburgh's Wes Goosen is tackled by Dragons' Joe Westwood during a BKT United Rugby Championship match between Edinburgh Rugby and Dragons at the Hive Stadium, on March 28, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)",
"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bulls coach Jake White took an introspective tone as his side prepared for their United Rugby Championship (URC) quarterfinal against Edinburgh at Loftus this weekend.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last year the Bulls gave up a 13-0 lead in the final at Loftus, against another Scottish outfit in Glasgow, to ultimately lose 21-16. It was a hard night for everyone associated with the Bulls, from the fans, to captain Ruan Nortje who made some strange calls in the closing stages, to White, who blamed himself.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While losing a second final (the Bulls lost the 2022 final to the Stormers) in three years was painful, the Bulls are back in contention again as they prepare to face Edinburgh for a third time this year.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And key to that is a good start.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We know that we need to start well in these knockout games,” White said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But we also know that we lost to Glasgow in a final because we allowed them to score on halftime with a penalty that we gave away and we didn’t score in the last minute of the game with a driving lineout.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“There are a lot of other lessons we have learnt. We started so well, we were 13-0 up in the final and we lost it. For me it is about 80 minutes, and getting all those little things right… starts, finishing, benches, rotation, game time. All of those things are what we have to look at and get right.”</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2738352\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1730\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2738352\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2401086.jpg\" alt=\"Bulls\" width=\"1730\" height=\"1178\" /> <em>The Bulls’ Sergeal Petersen on his way to score his try during their United Rugby Championship match against the Dragons at Loftus on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2738349\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1864\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2738349\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2399626.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1864\" height=\"1101\" /> <em>Bulls coach Jake White at a training session at Loftus Versfeld on 16 May 2025. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bulls beat Edinburgh 22-16 in a URC game earlier this year but lost 34-28 in Edinburgh in a Challenge Cup knockout game.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the latter contest the Bulls started poorly and were 31-7 down before a rearguard saved some blushes but couldn’t alter the inevitable outcome.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Edinburgh beat us a couple of weeks ago, so it’s not much I need to say because I think the players understand, we play Sharks or Munster next week if we win obviously, and I’m just saying those were two teams that beat us this year,” White said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The Sharks and Edinburgh have beaten us. So, there’s not much that I need to say in terms of getting them (the players) ready.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We finished well against Edinburgh. That gives me hope. There’ll be a lot of things that I’ll look at that game and know that if I’m a little bit more… I don’t want to say streetwise, but being a little bit more aware of what happened last time, it may help us in our favour.”</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2738351\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1760\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2738351\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TL_2401085.jpg\" alt=\"Bulls\" width=\"1760\" height=\"1182\" /> <em>Try time for Akker van der Merwe of the Bulls during a URC match against the Dragons at Loftus on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Edinburgh’s South African-born, New Zealand-raised fullback Wes Goosen believes his team have found a way to beat the Bulls, based on that last clash.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It gives us the confidence it can be done,” said Goosen. “For the first 60 minutes of the game in Edinburgh we really dominated and then we let them back in.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But if we do what we do, we push them and stay in the hard moments, I think we can go toe to toe with the Bulls.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s not going to be easy. They are a very physical team with a lot of superstars, but you look at our team – we’ve got good players as well.”</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2738347\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1799\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2738347\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2215053603-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1799\" height=\"1123\" /> <em>Eben Etzebeth in action for the Sharks against the Scarlets in a URC clash at Kings Park in Durban on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Steve Haag Sports / Gallo Images / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n<h4><b>Bok locks</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Sharks host 2023 URC champions Munster in Durban where Bok locks Eben Etzebeth and Jean Kleyn will face off against each other.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second-row battle between the two Rugby World Cup 2023 winners will be a nice little subplot to a game where the Sharks should start as favourites.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s always good to go up against fellow South Africans and I’m sure we’ll get each other in a ruck one or twice and have something to say to each other, in a positive way,” Etzebeth said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He’s a good man and a good player for Munster, and I’m looking forward to going up against him.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Etzebeth has only played a handful of games this season due to concussion and a hamstring strain, in addition to Springbok resting protocols.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He is game shy for sure, but managed to get some minutes on the field against the Scarlets two weeks ago.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It was obviously frustrating with the concussion,” Etzebeth said. “There’s not really a timeline on it, it’s all about your symptoms and how you respond to certain treatments. So I’d think, ‘maybe I’ll be back in a week’s time’ and then it’s a bit longer.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“And then I picked up a hamstring strain and had to sit out a bit more.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“But it was good to get that first 80 minutes against Scarlets under the belt. It’s good when you play 20 here or 60 there, but when you finally get a full game, you really feel like you’re back in the mix.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the Sharks, the 2025 campaign has been a positive turnaround from the previous season when they finished 14th. This season they finished third on the log.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Last season we lost the tight matches,” Etzebeth said. “This season we’ve won them, and that’s the difference. A couple of points and you have a home quarterfinal. We’re used to playing those tight games, but hopefully we don’t have to make it too tight (against Munster).</span>\r\n\r\n \r\n<h4><b>Tribute</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Munster meanwhile paid tribute to two fallen members of their community this week.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sheelagh Foley, mother of the late Anthony Foley (who was coach of Munster when he passed), died last week.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Former Munster staff member Michelle Payne, also wife of former player and team manager Shaun Payne, passed away in South Africa last week, from breast cancer.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Could I just extend our deepest sympathies to the Foley family and also to the Payne family,” interim head coach Ian Costello said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“They were two very important people in the Munster community and a massive loss to us this week, and that’s very close to our hearts.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Brendan (husband) and Sheelagh were here (in South Africa) this time last year, and Brendan picked up the phone and rang me Sunday morning to almost apologise for not coming and wished us the best.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Obviously Michelle and Shaun were huge in the club as well. That’s really important to the group this week especially as we’re in South Africa as well – very close to our heart.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shaun Payne represented the Sharks before becoming a Munster favourite in the 2000s.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2738346\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1797\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2738346\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2206717314.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1797\" height=\"1121\" /> <em>Edinburgh’s Wes Goosen is tackled by Joe Westwood of the Dragons during a URC match at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on 28 March 2025. (Photo: Ross Parker / SNS Group via Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Munster team will try to channel some of those emotions towards the task at hand, which is beating the third seeds on their home turf. In 2023 Munster did it the hard way, winning in Glasgow (against the Warriors), Dublin (Leinster) and Cape Town (the Stormers) on their way to winning the title.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Rugby is a very, very emotional game and I think any contact sport is,” Costello said. “People talk about physically and mentally where you have to be.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“I think the third part of that is emotionally: are you ready to invest everything you have and leave everything out on the pitch.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“That’s you as an individual and you as a team, and when emotionally you’re connected to a purpose or to a cause that comes out in any team sport, especially one as physically demanding as rugby.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“And then when you add in pride in terms of our province, our identity and what we stand for, what we represent, the people, how much we want to make people proud of our performance, so they can identify with who we are and what we’re about, I think all of that amplifies a lot of the good that’s there already and I think a lot of sports teams do it really well.”</span><b> DM</b>\r\n<h4><b><i>URC quarterfinals:</i></b></h4>\r\n<h4><b><i>Friday, 30 May</i></b></h4>\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glasgow Warriors vs Stormers, Glasgow – 8.35pm</span></i>\r\n<h4><b><i>Saturday, 31 May</i></b></h4>\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bulls vs Edinburgh, Pretoria – 1.30pm</span></i>\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leinster vs Scarlets, Dublin – 4pm</span></i>\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sharks vs Munster, Durban – 6.30pm</span></i>\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TV: SuperSport.</span></i>",
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The Bulls’ Sergeal Petersen on his way to score his try during their United Rugby Championship match against the Dragons at Loftus on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)
Bulls coach Jake White at a training session at Loftus Versfeld on 16 May 2025. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)
Try time for Akker van der Merwe of the Bulls during a URC match against the Dragons at Loftus on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)
Eben Etzebeth in action for the Sharks against the Scarlets in a URC clash at Kings Park in Durban on 17 May 2025. (Photo: Steve Haag Sports / Gallo Images / Getty Images)
Edinburgh’s Wes Goosen is tackled by Joe Westwood of the Dragons during a URC match at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on 28 March 2025. (Photo: Ross Parker / SNS Group via Getty Images)