As the Bulls prepare for their fifth consecutive appearance in the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final, Marcell Coetzee has a deep feeling within himself that this is a very special moment for his team.

When he returned from Ulster to join the Bulls back in 2021, Coetzee was one of a handful of experienced players in a young squad. But those young players have since grown to become fathers and Springboks.

And with Jake White having made way for new coach Johan Ackermann, and many of those “youngsters” leaving at the end of this season to pursue opportunities overseas, there’s that feeling of a changing of the guard at the Bulls.

For Coetzee, who has led this team through highs and lows and guided Ruan Nortjé to becoming a formidable player and also captain, it’s a moment of reflection as well as an opportunity to do something special in these playoffs.

“There is a strong motivation to make these playoffs really special for those players who are leaving us, and to pay tribute to what they have brought to Bulls rugby history. It’s a credit to the players who are leaving that they want to leave on a strong note as well. They are equally focused on ensuring they leave the team in a better place than when they joined. When the purpose is bigger than the individual, then we’re in a good place,” said Coetzee during a recent interview ahead of their playoff game.

Personally, Coetzee doesn’t hesitate to describe the six years he’s had with the Bulls as the most enjoyable of his rugby career.

“When I came back from Ulster, I came back to a team of youngsters. I also didn’t expect that I would take over the captaincy when Duane Vermeulen moved on. It’s been a special journey. This has always been a very talented group which has already achieved a lot. But you cannot force experience. That comes with time. I just feel incredibly blessed to have been a part of that journey with this team,” he remarked.

One of the well-known aspects of rugby over the years is the friendships that are forged and for Coetzee this is certainly also one of the privileges of his time in Pretoria.

“I’ve made friends for life here. We’ve had ups and downs, but that’s part of it. I’ve walked a long journey with Ruan and we’ve been roommates. Then you have players like Wilco Louw, Kurt-Lee Arendse and David Kriel. David is one of my closest friends. It still doesn’t feel real that he’s leaving,” he said with a touch of sadness.

According to Coetzee, he never thought this opportunity would come his way – a dream he pursued even when he was still playing for other teams.

“I was always a Bulls fan as a kid and my biggest dream was to play for this team. Then to do so, and to also be given the honour of captain – you can’t put into words how special that is. It comes with a big responsibility because we know how passionate Bulls fans are. But I had a strong leadership group around me as well. It’s been a huge honour,” he emphasized.

And now awaits the prospect of a potential three playoff games and possible Grand Final glory for a team that has had their hearts broken in three finals before this.

“We turned around this season very nicely. We were always aware that you just need a ticket to those playoffs, and then anything can happen. Every game now is precious. We have an opportunity. We know how difficult it is to reach the Grand Final in the URC with the quality of the teams in this competition, and the challenges of touring and different playing conditions. But this team has also learnt a lot out of the finals we’ve lost, and how that hurt us,” Coetzee concluded.

Who knows, maybe it’s the Bulls’ turn this year, even though a few months ago it looked like their season was going to end disastrously.

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