Bulls can’t let Leinster in

Loose forward Marcell Coetzee says the Vodacom Bulls take valuable lessons from two previous URC final defeats into Saturday’s Dublin decider.

The Bulls lost 18-13 to the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium in the inaugural 2021-22 season and 21-16 to Glasgow at a sold-out Loftus last season.

This time, coach Jake White’s men face table-topping Leinster at Croke Park hoping for a case of third-time lucky.

“In that first final [against the Stormers], we scored off the back [of a lineout maul] after two minutes, so we had a good start and a good first half,” Coetzee said in a press conference on Wednesday. “But it shows you can’t just rely on those moments, and we might have missed our kicking game, particularly in the second half.

“In the second final [against Glasgow], we again made a great start [to lead 13-0 after 25 minutes]. But ja, you can’t let the opposition in, get the ascendancy and build momentum,” he said, referring to a Warriors’ try at the end of the first half that changed the game.

“Look, it’s going to come down to moments and how we manage them, and how calm, collected and controlled we are. And that comes with experience.”

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Coetzee said the Bulls had shown “maturity and growth” over the past four seasons.

“Take our captain, Ruan [Nortje]. When I first arrived [at the Bulls] he was 22, now he’s close to 27 and has played for the Boks. With guys like Willie le Roux and Johan Goosen, we have a good balance between experience and youth.

“And our leadership group has really grown by being involved in high-pressure games. I think you saw by our performances on the previous tour [when the Bulls beat Munster and Glasgow], how we have matured.”

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To be crowned champions at Croke Park, Coetzee said the Bulls also needed to cut out “the soft moments” and keep their discipline.

“Playing against a quality side like Leinster, you can’t afford to have one or two guys in the bin. You need everyone on the pitch to stop their onslaught, and you don’t want to let the guy next to you down by being reckless.”

Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images