VIDEO: The 'tough pipeline' at the Bulls

SPOTLIGHT: Veteran loose forward Marcell Coetzee still has that fire in his belly to prove his worth in the Bulls squad.

Ahead of the Bulls’ United Rugby Championship Round Six clash against Benetton in Treviso, the 33-year-old admits it is getting harder to fight for his place in Jake White’s side.

Coetzee competes with Marco van Staden and Nama Xaba for the No.6 jersey, while Bok duo Ruan Nortje and Elrigh Louw were given co-captain responsibilities ahead of the season.

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“Ruan and Elrigh are the captains this year and you just try and support them where you can, whether it’s with leadership or a bit of a chat,” said Coetzee, who gets a start against on Friday.

“You just have to make the most of your opportunities.

“With Marco and Nama here, it’s a tough pipeline to compete with, but it’s something you will never back down from.

“Healthy competition is good in the structure that we have. For me, it is just giving back as much as we can, whether it is on or off the field.

“Ultimately you want to enjoy it on the field and just help build the culture off the field and just be the ultimate team man.”

Last weekend saw the young Reinhardt Ludwig get the captaincy role for the final stages of the defeat against the Scarlets and Coetzee believes the experience will only make him stronger.

“I know he is very young, but he has got a big influence in the team in terms of his natural leadership abilities and I think the players feed off that,” said Coetzee.

“Something I’ve learned as a captain is you do get more experienced, and you do get more time in your head to make decisions and keep the guys composed and calm.

“He has been exposed to that and he will learn from this. With the red card, the weather and the mistakes that were made, it is difficult.

“I’ve been there numerous times in my career and it’s hard to get out of that hole.

“At the end of the day, it is not just up to one individual, it’s about the core group and the drivers to make sure everyone is in sync and bring a bit of calmness.”

@rugby365com