Coetzee: You cannot get too big for the game
BLUE Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee has warned his team not to concede “soft penalties” in Saturday’s Currie Cup final against the Sharks at Loftus.
The openside flank will be one of those in the firing line as he contests the breakdowns, and that is an area that the Durban outfit will also try to push the envelope to slow down the Bulls’ lethal attack.
Sharks No 6 Dylan Richardson will go hard at the rucks, and he will be supported by hooker Kerron van Vuuren and captain Phepsi Buthelezi in that regard.
The home team will also look to avoid being yellow-carded, as Stedman Gans’ 10-minute period on the sidelines sparked the Sharks’ comeback in their league victory over the Bulls in August.
“One thing you can’t leak in a final is soft penalties, particularly at the breakdown and how the refs are blowing it nowadays – with the tackler not rolling away, and the decision-making of when to go in and when not, and not going (to) pass the ball,” Coetzee said.
“Information is key – if you’ve got clarity and know what you are doing, that can help the team and you to be efficient in your job. With both sides, you can’t leak penalties – Curwin (Bosch) can kick the ball very, very far, and our team as well. The last thing you want to do is to be the guy who gives away those penalties.
“The Sharks had a very good second half that day (at Kings Park last month), and stopped us really well in certain aspects of our game. What we learnt afterwards is that sometimes you have to learn those lessons in a harsh manner.
“Discipline will play a big role this weekend, and we cannot afford to have guys on the sideline (through yellow cards), and that is how they put us under pressure. They played great rugby during that period, and it sunk us on the day.”
Coach Jake White was delighted with his team’s performance in the 48-31 semi-final victory over Western Province last week, and Coetzee is banking on his side continuing in that vein on Saturday.
But he knows finals bring different pressures, as the Bulls learnt in no uncertain terms in the Rainbow Cup decider against Benetton in June, while they could only see off the Sharks in extra time in last season’s Currie Cup championship game in January.
Asked if he is worried that the Bulls “played their final” already against Province, Coetzee said: “I hope not! You take every game as it comes, and that’s how we prepare ourselves. Taking nothing away from WP, we had a very good first half, but we know we were very far from the perfect picture in the second half.”