The Blue Bulls Company announced the signing of 29-year-old Springbok loose forward Marcell Coetzee, effective July 2021. The names of Johan Goosen, Francois Hougaard and Damian Willemse is also expected to be announced sooner than later to join Jake White at the Vodacom Bulls.
Coetzee has penned a three-year deal and returns to South Africa after five seasons with GUINNESS PRO16 club Ulster where he quickly became a fan favourite and mainstay in the starting line-up. The former Port Natal High School scholar also represented the Cell C Sharks in Vodacom Super Rugby and the Currie Cup before a short stint with Honda Heat in the Japanese Top League before moving to PRO16.
Jake White, director of rugby at the BBCo, “Marcell is a phenomenal player and any team in the world would be ecstatic to have a player of his calibre joining its structures. He has grown from strength to strength over the years and is currently playing some of the best rugby of his life. He’s excited about being back in South Africa, and making Loftus his home.”
Having returned home during the first lockdown period in the summer, the 29-year-old expressed a strong desire to remain in South Africa amidst the ongoing uncertainty around the Coronavirus pandemic. On return to Belfast, the back-row remained committed to finding a route home at the conclusion of his fifth season at Kingspan Stadium.
Today’s announcement – and the terms agreed for Coetzee’s release – enables Ulster Rugby and Head Coach Dan McFarland to move forward with recruitment for a long-term replacement.
Head Coach, Dan McFarland, said: “Marcell has been a great performer for us on and off the field and I’m sure he will continue to bring his high-performance standards through until June.
“We have a talented squad that is growing in experience. We are looking to supplement and support that talent, particularly in the forwards, in line with our ambition to consistently compete for championships.”
Coetzee said: “It all started during lockdown when I was back home for four months. My wife and I did a lot of thinking together about life and we also reflected on where I am in my career.
“We decided to come back to Belfast with an open mind, but ultimately we miss home, the South African culture and way of life – and after five seasons the longing for home has just caught up with us.
“I must say Ulster have been absolutely superb to me, on and off the field during my career, and I feel I have grown as a person and as a player for the experiences the club has given me. Ulster will always have a special place in the hearts of my wife and I.”