High work-rate vital for Bulls to stop up-tempo Leinster in their tracks in URC final, says Marcell Coetzee

The Bulls opened the scoring in both their previous United Rugby Championship finals and lost.

So, perhaps the Pretoria side should let Leinster grab the early lead in Saturday’s title decider at Croke Park in Dublin (6pm SA time kick-off) if they want to enjoy a case of third time lucky.

But having endured the heartache of two defeats, such experiences would have given them the necessary knowledge to handle a similar situation against Leinster this weekend.

Perhaps being written off by everyone outside Pretoria may also spur on Jake White’s team.

But while emotion – Cornal Hendricks’ passing will also inspire the Bulls – has a place in a final, it is also about ensuring that you heed the lessons from the past.

So, the visitors cannot afford to let an early lead slip this time, or concede yellow cards, like they did in the semi-final win over the Sharks last week.

“I think if I take that first final (18-13 defeat against the Stormers), think we scored off the bat probably like three, four minutes in the game,” loose forward Marcell Coetzee said from Dublin on Wednesday.

“So, we had a good start in the game and we were going well at first, but it just showed you (that) you can’t rely on those moments.

“I thought we just might have missed the kicking game in that second half particularly. And that’s how we let the Stormers in that day. They used the opportunities. We had a man down in the bin as well.

“And then the second game (last year’s 21-16 loss to Glasgow), again great start, and we built on that. But you can’t let the opposition in. That’s what I meant by soft moments.

“You can’t let them really in, and then let them get the ascendancy and momentum.

“It’s going to come down to moments, and how we manage it and how calm and collected in control we are. It’s all about managing that.

“That comes with experience, and I think over the course of the seasons, that’s really been very beneficial for our team.”

Coetzee may be asked to pack down at No 8 in the absence of the injured Cameron Hanekom on Saturday, and it shouldn’t be an issue for the 34-year-old to fulfil.

His energetic ball-carries and high work-rate on defence will be vital if the Bulls hope to stop the relentless Leinster attack.

The Irish giants love to stretch the opposition defence early on, and the South Africans will have to be wide awake to prevent conceding points in the opening quarter.

At the same time, they need to impose themselves on proceedings as well and force Leinster to make a lot of tackles too.

That’s where Coetzee, Cobus Wiese and Jan-Hendrik Wessels need to front up with ball-in-hand to create holes for dangerous backs such as David Kriel and Canan Moodie.

“That’s the uniqueness about the Leinster team. When they get it right on the day, they can really light it up. That’s part of our job,” Coetzee said.

“We need to nullify it as best as possible by certain things we identified. Look, I think there’s a time and a place for everything.

“It’s all about playing in the right areas.

“There will be times where we want to make the game quick and controlled and tempo, but there’s also times to settle it and see where we can go from here, being composed and having good management on the day.

“Playing against a quality side like Leinster, you can’t afford to have one guy or two guys in the bin.

“You need all the feet on the pitch, and it’s going to take a work-rate to stop their onslaught.

“You don’t want to let the guy next to you down by being reckless and stuff.

“That and soft moments we need to cut out in our game, and just building on our DNA that’s been working for us this whole season.”