VIDEO: Marutlulle willing to take the 'dirt track' to success
New Bulls Currie Cup coach Edgar Marutlulle knows there is no easy fix for his team’s ills and is willing to put in the hard yards to rectify it.
On the eve of the start of the tournament, it was revealed that Marutlulle will take over as head coach of the Currie Cup team from Springbok and seasoned international coach Gert Smal – who will be one of his assistants, looking after the forwards.
Former Sharks coach Sean Everitt (defence & breakdown) and former Lions stalwart Hugo van As (backline) are the other assistants on Marutlulle’s powerful panel.
Marutlulle, who has not formally retired as a player, said to coach the Bulls was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and to get to do it in South Africa’s oldest and most prestigious domestic competition is more than career-defining.
However, the Bulls are on a four-match losing streak in the United Rugby Championship and have lost both their Currie Cup matches this season.
Following his team’s 33-41 Currie Cup loss to Western Province this past Friday, Marutlulle opened up about the ‘tough lessons’ he is learning.
“Life isn’t always on the high road,” the Boksburg native and Pukke alumni told @rugby365com.
“You also have to take the low road and sometimes you have to walk on a dirt track.”
Marutlulle, 35, pointed out how swimmingly things went in 2022 – when they won a number of age group titles and played in the United Rugby Championship Final.
(Article continues below Marutlulle interview …)
“We are struggling a bit at the moment,” he said, adding: “It is not the end of the world.
“It really is difficult for our supporters at the moment, but we have Ulster [at Ravenhill on Saturday], Toulouse [in the European Cup Round of 16 on April 2] and we are only going into Round Three of the Currie Cup.
“We just have to graft and walk the dirt road.”
Marutlulle started his coaching journey with the Bulls Under-19 side a few years ago’, while recovering from a long-term Achilles injury and has decided to continue on that path.
@king365ed
@rugby365com
* Picture credit: @BlueBullsRugby
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