Rugby World Cup winners give Bulls the edge over Munster in titanic URC playoff clash

The United Rugby Championship play-offs have arrived, and for the Bulls, this weekend’s titanic quarter-final clash against Munster at Loftus Versfeld is all about ruthless composure.

While Johan Ackermann’s men have shown flashes of unplayable brilliance throughout the regular campaign, they have also struggled with consistency, a tactical hurdle captain Marcell Coetzee believes will be erased by the distinct, high-stakes nature of knockout rugby.

“We had a lot of challenges during the round-robin stage building up to this quarter-final, and we had to get certain points,” Coetzee admitted, reflecting on instances where the team occasionally looked rushed with the ball, leading to mistakes.

“Maybe at times that translated onto the field, where we sometimes overplay or we wanted to maybe take opportunities, maybe forcing stuff. But with play-off rugby, it's different … at the end of the day, the team that wins goes through. So we're just focusing on our structures that we want to implement.

“I think the biggest thing is the mindset going into the play-offs and using your opportunities,” Coetzee insisted. “You know in play-offs, when you get into the 22, you only have X amount of opportunities and we want to capitalise every time.”

Fortunately for the Bulls, the squad is heavily anchored by immense big-match temperament. The core of the side has navigated deep knockout runs together, further bolstered by the presence of double World Cup-winning Springboks.

“That gives you a lot of confidence, going into play-offs,” Coetzee noted. “The group has been so consistent over the years together, and with a few new guys who add great value.

"Now, you think of Handre [Pollard], his experience, and Willie [le Roux], those are guys who have won World Cups. So just that experience and that calmness they bring to the group, and also the boys have been in the situation before. In saying that, you can't rely on the past, but it's the learnings that you take through to the play-offs: when to switch on, when to be accurate, what the moment needs.”