Vodacom Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee sent a clear message to his team ahead of the United Rugby Championship (URC) Grand Final against Leinster at Croke Park.
“Enjoy the moment, seize the opportunity, and don't look back.”
He said he encouraged his players to appreciate the gravity of competing in a final at a historic venue like Croke Park while letting go of the psychological weight of previous final defeats.
“It is a privilege to play in this stadium, knowing the history of the stadium, and what it represents for the people of Ireland. For us to come here again and play a Final is a great opportunity, and we look to make the best of it.”
Coetzee said that past final heartbreaks are not psychological scars, but rather lessons. He pointed out that the team must not live in the past, but instead focus on practical adjustments like starting sharper and maintaining structure under intense pressure.
“We don’t live in the past, but we do learn from it,” Coetzee said.
“In last season’s final, they started very, very well and that helped their momentum throughout the game. We went out of structure once the pressure started mounting.”
“This is a new final and a new opportunity, but we learned from that experience.”