The Dragons may be second from bottom in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship at the moment, but the Vodacom Bulls are definitely not taking them lightly.
The Bulls are currently in Cardiff and will head to Rodney Parade on Friday as they look to get a valuable away win in the competition as the race to the top eight starts to take shape and while the Dragons’ log position may be deceiving, the Bulls know they will have to be at their best if they are to get the points on offer.
The Dragons’ recent tour to South Africa underlined that, and while they may have lost both matches to the FidelitySecureDrive Lions and the DHL Stormers, they certainly were more than a handful in both matches.
They are the type of team that takes you down to their level and likes to keep you bogged down in the trenches, and at home - especially after two wins in the EPCR Challenge Cup playoffs that has them in the semifinals, they will be bursting with confidence ahead of Friday night’s game.
Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee knows this and is not overly confident going into the game. He knows the danger the Welsh side pose, especially if the Bulls are not on top of their game.
“If you look at all the Dragons’ URC games so far, they were always in the game, and then it was just moments where it got away from them,” Coetzee said from Cardiff.
“They will take a lot of confidence from reaching the next stage of the Challenge Cup. It makes it difficult because you don’t really know what team you will be getting on the day. That is why it’s important that we just focus on our plans that we want to implement. We spotted a few things we can exploit, but it’s not going to be easy, and our mindset must be right for the Dragons.”
Coetzee also touched on the recent announcement by his friend, roommate and teammate Ruan Nortje to take up a contract offer in Japan at the end of the season and how it was a difficult decision for him.
“I’ve been his roommate for the past six years. I know firsthand it wasn’t an easy process for him, but he felt the time was right for him and his wife and the baby that’s on the way,” Coetzee said.
“As players, we respect that. We know there comes a time where you want to expand your horizons, you want to go develop yourself in other countries and see how you measure up.
“Ruan is a true Blue Bulls man and this is very hard for him, but he felt this was the right time. It’s always a tough, emotional decision leaving your country and your family behind. It’s a big sacrifice, but the outcome will come if you approach it with the right mindset.”
Coetzee had stints in Japan and Ireland before returning to South Africa to join the Bulls.
“The life and rugby experience you gather overseas is tremendous,” he explained.
“You work with coaches from all nationalities and get a viewpoint of how they see the game, which you try and implement. You pick up stuff along the way.
“For any player that goes abroad and wants to test himself, it’s exceptional. But it’s always great if they come back to the union with all that experience that they gathered and help build up the team.”
Coetzee is expected to lead the Bulls into battle on Friday night. The team will be announced on Thursday.