Skipper Marcell Coetzee believes the Vodacom Bulls have what it takes, mentally and physically, to make a Champions Cup statement with victory against Lyon on Saturday.
The Bulls are targeting another strong weekend in round 2 of the competition, and back themselves for a vital away victory at Matmut Stadium de Gerland, especially with The Herd high on confidence having won six of their eight matches so far this season.
Lyon have had a slow start to the 2023-24 Top 14, with only three wins in nine matches, and will be desperate to turn things around after their 36-34 defeat by the Bristol Bears last week.
The French outfit will be expecting a thorough test on attack and in the set pieces from the Bulls, who have scored an average of 47 points in their four home games so far this season, but the last time the teams met in France, Jake White’s charges lost 31-7.
Speaking in a Bulls conference this week, Coetzee addressed the hostile conditions on- and off-the-field in Lyon while outlined the ambitions of the men from Pretoria in their pursuit of European cup glory.
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“We want to go overseas, we want to fire some shots, and we know what the results are if you win away from home. And it helps you long term when it comes to the playoffs,” he told reporters.
“The motivation will definitely be there but our biggest challenge as a squad with the group that we’re taking is to be accurate, execute what we have to do, and not let other factors affect how we want to implement this game.
“A lot of the guys who were there last time are going back now and know what to expect. I think it will be a very physical battle, but we have a very good plan on how we will play against them. It should only be performed on the day.”
He added: “Our forwards have a big task ahead of them to lay the foundation. What is important is that we start slowly and not get carried away.
“If you want to reach the playoffs in the European competitions, you have to be psychologically strong. I believe we have it.”
Coetzee returned from a three-match suspension in the 27-16 win over Saracens at Loftus Versfeld, and the veteran loose forward is delighted with the mood in the camp and performances.
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“We are currently happy with how we are playing. It’s always the case that you have to get rid of the rust in the first few games,” he said.
“But what also helps is that this season we implemented a new system with which we want to get everyone involved on the field. The pace and the standards are greatly increased in the process and everyone knows where we stand.
“It also helps that we have added experienced guys like Wilco Louw, Akker van der Merwe and Jaco van der Walt, who gained good experience in Europe. That experience counts for a lot. The World Cup Boks also brought back experience, which is to our advantage.
“We want to be in a position where, if we lose players, there simply have to be other guys who can take their places. It has started to work very well for us lately.”
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