50 up for ‘grateful’ Coetzee

Vodacom Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee will notch up his fiftieth appearance for the herd on Saturday when the Tshwane outfit hosts French side Stade Français Paris at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Coetzee arrived in the capital in July of 2021 and quickly became a fan favourite and mainstay, much like his former clubs, the Sharks and Ulster, where he also notched up 50 caps for both, respectively.

The Springbok loose forward says his time at Loftus has been nothing short of magic with an amazing and loyal support base.

“I am truly grateful for this milestone at the home of an incredible franchise and the most loyal support base. It has and continues to be an honour and privilege for me to represent the club, especially when you consider the mammoth list of legends who have played for the Vodacom Bulls,”

“It is really hard to put into words what the jersey means to me, but you are prepared to die for it. For me to be part of a world-class rugby franchise and to be part of all the history of this place is just special.”

Coetzee adds: “Thus far, it has been an ⁠unbelievable experience. It was a dream of mine to represent the Vodacom Bulls from a young age. So, when I eventually got that opportunity to achieve this and live in Pretoria, it was and continues to be more than I could ever ask for,”

To the fans, Marcell says the perfect way to soak up this special achievement would be to do it together as he has experienced since he arrived at the fortress.

“I hope to continue counting on you all to give us the same cheer you do every weekend, that always helps us to get over the line. I am confident that will help us all today and we can all go home happy afterwards. See you all later!”