White, Bulls feeling the pressure during horror run: 'We have to get through this'

Bulls director of rugby Jake White says the union is feeling the pressure following a difficult run of results in both the Currie Cup and the United Rugby Championship (URC).

The Blue Bulls were defeated 41-33 by rivals Western Province at Loftus on Friday night, slipping to their second successive loss of the Currie Cup season after they were hammered 63-15 by the Pumas - also at home - the week before.

In the URC, meanwhile, the Bulls have also suffered back-to-back home losses against the Stormers and Lions, and you have to go back to 6 January to find their last victory, which came away to the Dragons.

While Edgar Marutlulle has been given the Currie Cup head coach responsibilities this season, White was an unexpected guest at Friday's post-match press conference in Pretoria.

The 59-year-old World Cup-winning coach said he was seeking answers for the union's slump in form, but he stressed that he - and not Marutlulle - should be held accountable after another loss to WP.

"The reason I'm here as director of rugby is that this week I basically took this group of players. I wanted to use it as an opportunity for next week, so that's why it would be unfair for Edgar to take on the negativity of this result," he said.

"It's no excuse. I'm trying to reflect and be philosophical about where we are as a group.

"We've been dominating as a union for the last three seasons - juniors, seniors, Currie Cup, URC final - and I think, what's gone wrong?

"The answer for me is I was sick in December, and again it's not an excuse, and I was probably a little bit disconnected from the group.

"I thought changing the group and the team and giving some guys time off last year was just too tough for everybody to back up every week, as much as