Ulster Rugby v Cardiff Blues

MARCELL COETZEE

We caught up with Marcell Coetzee to hear how he’s been getting on since the trip to South Africa, where he made his most recent return from injury.

With the Ulster squad back in his native homeland for the last two rounds of the PRO14, Coetzee didn’t feature in the game against the Cheetahs but was part of the touring squad and contributed to the team bouncing back against the Southern Kings. “We had to have a good look at ourselves after the defeat against the Cheetahs, we weren’t proud of that result. We had to sit down and identify what our weak points were and what to improve on. Sometimes you need a couple of games to humble yourself and ask, ‘is this working and how can I fix this?’ “As much as it was a bad game for us, we learned a lot from that game; we just went into training straight away the following Monday, we knew what we had to do to bounce back and that’s the thing about rugby. You always get a chance the following week to show it. It’s not a game we want to remember but we want to remember it for the right reasons and that’s the learning we had to apply for the following week against the Southern Kings.” Although he enjoyed being back in his country of birth, the 28-year-old is pleased to have returned to Belfast for two back-to- back home games.

The powerful back row looked to be at his devastating best when playing for South Africa in the Rugby World Cup warm-up games before an ankle injury cruelly ruled him out of selection for the rugby World Cup squad. Despite this setback, he has shown incredible resolve and positivity to make his way back to playing rugby. “I thought the South Africa Test against Argentina was a chance to show what I can do and fight for a spot on the World Cup squad. Unfortunately, it didn’t go my way and it was just not meant to be. I think the biggest thing is the mindset after injury; are you going to lay down or fight back? I try to make a choice to fight back and see what happens. This is the second time it has happened and was a tough one to swallow, but time heals all wounds eventually and you just learn to get back on the horse. “Every time you get an injury you realise how grateful you are when you get back on the field with the guys. I just enjoy the game and want to be out there as much as possible. You can’t control injuries, but it humbles you and makes you hungrier to play again.”

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