- Bulls director of rugby Jake White took a glass-half-full approach to their 30-26 United Rugby Championship loss to the Stormers on Saturday.
- The Bulls came back from an 18-0 deficit but lost to a last-minute try.
- White said the Stormers deserved to win the game.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White said they were their own worst enemies in their 30-26 defeat to the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Bulls trailed 18-0, but launched a remarkable fightback.
They then conceded a late Paul de Wet try to lose their unbeaten streak under White at Loftus.
White admitted that they didn't show enough composure to see out the game after their fightback.
"We found a way to lose. We looked like a team that didn't show enough composure and that's something we've been good at since I've been here," White said.
"When we had the fightback and got the lead, we almost gave away some stupid penalties that let them back into the game.
"It's disappointing that we found a way to lose the game when we've usually found a way to win games like that."
White, who admitted that he didn't see the Bulls' banter video that did the rounds on social media in the build-up to the North/South Derby, also added that the video wouldn't have had a material impact on the outcome of the game.
However, he credited the Stormers for staying in the game despite playing on the Highveld and having to weather a storm from the Bulls.
"We were a bit hasty and we had them on the ropes. When we're at our best, we squeeze them and put them away," White said.
"It was disappointing that we had them, but we let them get away through a lack of concentration, but credit must be given to them.
"Look at how they celebrated. It showed that it was important for them to beat the Bulls."
While the Bulls have generally looked like the best South African team when they're judged on their Currie Cup and Super Rugby Unlocked success, it hasn't been reflected in the URC.
They're the worst of the South African teams with only one win from six matches and they're 15th on the log.
White though chose to look at how well his team fought back and not their difficult log position after two successive South African derby losses.
"To come back from 18 points down and lead shows that you must have some fighting spirit," White said.
"Had we won, there would have been a lot more emotion in terms of how the right things we did paid off.
"We will find a way to get things right and we'll learn."
