Veteran loose forward Marcell Coetzee is focusing on being a “team man” as the Vodacom Bulls look to finish a three-week tour on a high against Benetton on Friday.
The Bulls, currently fourth on the overall Vodacom URC standings, face the Italian outfit in Treviso, in the last round of the current block of matches before the international break.
Jake White’s charges kicked off their overseas trip with a bonus-point win at the Ospreys, but lost to the Scarlets last week, which marked their first defeat of the URC season.
The 33-year-old Coetzee, who played the last of his 31 Tests for the Springboks in 2022, remains a valuable asset to the Bulls, even as Ruan Nortje and Elrigh Louw have taken over the co-captaincy duties.
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And despite competition from Marco van Staden and Nama Xaba for the Bulls No 6 jersey, Coetzee’s experience is still crucial.
“I support them [Nortje and Louw] where I can and try to make the most of the chances I get,” said Coetzee, reflecting on his evolving role.
“At this stage I try to give back as much as possible, regardless of whether it is on or off the field. I want to be a real team man.”
The Bulls’ narrow loss to the Scarlets was disappointing but not crushing, according to Coetzee. “Unfortunately, it is games like this that you could and should have won that can cost you dearly later in the competition,” he added, pointing to missed chances and the impact of Johan Grobbelaar’s red card.
Looking ahead to Benetton, Coetzee sees a big challenge: “Benetton is strong in the set-piece play and their speed to the breakdown points is the best in the competition. They are also a good attacking team, which makes it a big challenge for us.”
Photo: @BlueBullsRugby/Twitter
