Small margins, big consequences: Bulls coach reflects on another URC final defeat

Johan Ackermann has delivered a blunt assessment of the Bulls' 36-7 defeat to Leinster in the URC final at Croke Park, saying poor ball protection and ill-discipline handed the Irish province the platform they needed to win back-to-back titles.

The Bulls conceded two yellow cards in the first half. Canan Moodie in the second minute and Willie le Roux in the 25th, and made several costly errors that allowed Leinster to build an unassailable 22-0 lead at the break.

READ | Former Ireland international rips into Pollard, Moodie after Bulls URC final disaster

Ackermann was direct about where it went wrong.

"If you're going to be loose in your ball protection and you're going to concede yellow cards against a quality attacking side, and you're going to not get the momentum going, small things, small margins, one knew we had to be accurate and yet we didn't," he said.

READ | Home advantage no more as World Rugby tweaks rankings formula

Ackermann was at pains to credit Leinster for the quality of their performance, particularly in that first half.

"You can take nothing away from Leinster. They're a quality side, quality all over from 1 to 23 and well coached," Ackermann said.

"I've got a lot of respect for Leo and for Jacques; they're world-class coaches and have world-class players. Leinster was so accurate in that first half. Every opportunity they got, they got the points."

He also pointed to a specific tactical moment early in the game that he believes, in hindsight, changed everything.

"When you get a yellow card and the opposition knocks on, then you obviously take the scrum," he said.

"And then once you take the scrum, there's a minute gone of the yellow card and the chances are better for us to get a penalty from the scrum.

"But then we kept on playing and two phases later we made a mistake and they went and scored. In hindsight, that's the lesson. Next time, take the scrum."

READ | Siya makes Bok intent crystal clear ahead of season opener

Despite the scale of the defeat, Ackermann said the Bulls never stopped believing, even at 22-0 down at halftime.

"There was still a belief that if we could score two tries in the opening stages of the second half, we're back in it. But it's always tough against such a good side if you start on the back foot and have to fight back."

Ultimately, Ackermann said, the defeat came down to execution rather than tactics.

"It's not necessarily the tactics, it's more the execution that I think we lacked tonight."