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Bulls let slip they've signed Marcell Coetzee

By Online Editors

26 Dec 2020

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The Bulls may just have let the cat out the bag with their latest transfer teaser.

In a social media post, the Bulls said they will make a ‘BIG’ announcement on Monday, December 28.

The franchise teased the new arrival on Twitter, describing him as the “biggest festive gift” for the fan base.

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However, social media posters were quick to point out who the new signing is.

It appears Springbok veteran Marcell Coetzee may be the man heading from Belfast in Ireland to Pretoria in South Africa.

While some readers bemoaned the fact that the 29-year-old Coetzee is turning his back on the Irish province, after the loyalty they showed him when he struggled with injuries, others expressed their delight with the impressive new loose trio the Bulls will field.

They could have World Cup-winning Bok Duane Vermeulen at No.8, Coetzee at No.7, a third Bok in Marco van Staden at No.6 – with two more Boks in Arno Botha and Nizaam Carr as back up.

Coetzee had put pen to paper on a three-year contract extension with Ulster in 2019, keeping him at Kingspan Stadium until at least the summer of 2022. It appears he somehow managed to exit the contract a year early.

#BullsFamily24 we have the biggest festive gift for you …EVER! So big .. So cool… We still trying to package it ? Check out our social platforms on Monday at 10h00 ? Our BIGGEST signing for the year… literally ? pic.twitter.com/ZySFjWoVGt
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) December 25, 2020

It’s a major body blow for Ulster, where Coetzee had become a talisman for the team over the last two seasons in particular.

“It was a really tough mental and physical battle for me with the injuries, but I’m grateful for the support I had during that time and I’m determined to repay the faith shown in me,” Coetzee said in 2019. “I can’t wait to see what the next three years holds for me and my wife personally, and for the club.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

SG 4 minutes ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

England have absolutely no need for him. Tom Willis and Ben Earl are better with a much higher work rate.

7 Go to comments

Thomas Walsh 9 minutes ago

Super Rugby Pacific's rebirth can finally restore the missing All Blacks edge

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Virginia Jarrah 25 minutes ago

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0 Go to comments

JW 27 minutes ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

No full games on the IRU YT channel unfortunately, all on subscription? Looks a fairly good level (1A).

Yes I mean I wouldn’t really know the local ratio of origin here, but certainly as a province with less resources mine has a ratio that veers heavily towards club rep. The club stories are often the best so get probably an imbalanced proportion of coverage to where most players actually come from though.

Those were a couple of Ulster (regional) clubs too, good good. Those clubs/size towns are very much where you find most talent coming from (compared to the big city), so your productivity depends very much on your systems in place for scouting talent. With the more wealthy and popular sport of NRL (hence more info out there) I’ve seen some interesting studies on player origins in this respect, which I think would be a very balanced base of data to draw conclusions from.

Yes I’m wondering how those names as examples compare to the likes of Bryne getting squeezed out for a lack of places. I’m only thinking of effects far down the line as a result of Irelands #1 ranking and increased publicity/interest and how Irelands system will take advantage of them.

47 Go to comments

GP 32 minutes ago

James O'Connor earns first Crusaders start against Moana Pasifika

Regarding the Crusaders side . Great to see promising young lock Jamie Hannah back in the starting team. He has certainly been through the mill since debuting for the Crusaders, even before playing for Canterbury. All his hard work has paid off. Antonio Shalfoon , who has been rested for this match has been amazing locking with AB captain Scott Barrett. I really rate Jamie Hannah as one of the best young locks of which there are a few coming through. Including his Canterbury and Crusaders team mate Liam Jack. Father is Graham Jack ,he played for Canterbury and the Crusaders in the 1990’s. Older brother of Chris, who of course was an All Black.

4 Go to comments

Andrew Nichols 33 minutes ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Gloucester are in the market for a top-class replacement ..Well why would they then be talking to HS?

7 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 35 minutes ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

I include Cunningham-South. He was born in England but moved to NZ at 4 yrs and learnt his rugby there. His dad was a schoolboy coach. In recent years, Teimana Harrison was - as was Brad Shields.

7 Go to comments

GB 41 minutes ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Cunningham-South was born in the UK but raised in NZ.

Makes a good point, wouldn't walk into the English set up.

Better to roll his sleeves up and play himself into the ABs

7 Go to comments

Spew_81 44 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Not sure what the ethical issue is. If it’s going for the money, it’s either do that or NZ rugby slowly dies as all the better players leave. So it’s the more lesser of two evils. Sell out a bit more as a Union, or the players sell out one by one.

41 Go to comments

Spew_81 46 minutes ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Yes, the team was similar. But the two locks made a huge difference. Kaino wasn’t a lock and Tuipolutu has only very recently started playing close to his potential (his work rate was terrible until recently).

The Irish lineout maul wouldn’t have been the weapon it was on that day if Hansen started Whitelock and Retallick (or even two proper locks). Though they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

Doing the new haka when the Irish were mourning a great of theirs didn’t help. The action at the end of that haka has been interpreted negatively and some see it as a but disrespectful.

Still if the All Blacks did their normal haka they wouldn’t have been guaranteed to win.

41 Go to comments

Koro Teeps 52 minutes ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Absolutely no certainty he would make the current English squad. He’s not in the All Black conversation either. Physical, explosive player with ball in hand but sometimes struggles to impose himself fully on all aspects of the game.

7 Go to comments

DC 1 hour ago

All Black's England switch hanging by a thread

Who are the Kiwis (plural)? The only one I can think of is Ethan Root.

7 Go to comments

Gradier Walter 2 hours ago

Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders