White defends Bulls squad split for Champions Cup, URC: 'I'm not defeatist but a realist'

Bulls mentor Jake White said he was a "realist" regarding his approach to juggling the new twin simultaneous competitions, the United Rugby Championship (URC) and European Champions Cup.

White picked an overhauled side in the Bulls' thrilling 42-36 win over European Challenge Cup holders Lyon at Loftus last weekend.

The Bulls got away with it, but the fringe players proved their quality, with outstanding performances coming from wing Sibongile Novuka and halfback Bernard van der Linde, in particular.

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Springbok Nizaam Carr also took the chance to show the younger crop the way with a bruising backrow performance.

White has doubled down on his backup players for the trip to Exeter Chiefs this weekend, the 2020 English Premiership and Champions Cup winners.

It's a massive call, considering the pedigree of the team that beat French side Castres last week and put 50 past Gloucester a week before.

White said European novices in South African franchises did not possess the squads to fight fully on two major fronts and still be competitive.

The Bulls visit the Stormers in the URC after the Exeter assignment before facing the Sharks, another familiar fore, for back-to-back South African derbies away.

"We'd like to do well in both competitions, but I'm also a realist," said White.

"I would love to take my main guys and to measure and evaluate them against a team like Exeter, who won this competition two years ago and are a really difficult team to play against.

"We play Exeter away, then the Stormers away, then the Sharks away and the next week away at the Dragons before we're at home against Exeter again.

"There's enough pressure and travel for this (main) group, so we'd rather not take