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28th December 2020
06:06pm GMT
Marcell Coetzee has been with Ulster since August 2016. (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile)[/caption]
Coetzee did not play in Ulster's 32-19 Guinness PRO14 victory over Connacht, on Sunday, during which Ian Madigan kicked 22 points. However, he is expected to start the home game against Munster, next Saturday.
"Certainly, it’s disappointing for the players and for all the supporters," Madigan began. "The reason it’s disappointing is because he has been such a good player, and he’s been so good for Ulster over the last few years.
"Marcell came in, during the week, and he asked to speak to the player group. He stepped up and spoke really well, and he gave his reasons why he wanted to go home. And I think it’s really important to note, he is going home. He’s going back to his home country to play for a club in South Africa. "It's been tough, especially through the last year and the lockdowns. Being away from home, away from family. Guys relate to that, and Marcell was straight up with the group, which we all really respected. And he gave his reasons. "The energy he brings, across the board, in training every day… every time in games, he’s the guy that is leading from the front. So the respect we have for him is through the roof. "Generally, when a player gets up and announces he’s leaving, it’s kind of a stoned silence and then you move on with the meeting. But he got a seriously big round of applause, which I thought was a lovely touch. But it was also a measure of the man that he is and the respect that he had within the group. And even afterwards, with guys going up and hugging him and saying, ‘Let’s make the most of this season and really enjoy that. Let’s not focus on any of the negatives that might be out there'."[caption id="attachment_200375" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Marcell Coetzee powers over for a try against Connacht in May 2019. (Photo by John Dickson/Sportsfile)[/caption]
Considine believes it is hard to blame Coetzee for wanting to go back home, albeit being a tough pill for Ulster fans to swallow. On him being up front about his Springboks ambitions, Madigan said:
"It’s also important to note that he’s been unlucky. He missed out on the World Cup in 2015, he was unlucky with an injury before the 2019 World Cup. He wants to go back and really be part of that Lions Tour, and live it with the South African players and then continue on with one of the South African franchises. "It was funny, during his speech he actually mentioned, 'It’s going to be really s*** playing against you guys in The Rainbow Cup.' And somebody shouted out, 'It’s going to be really s*** for us!' But, look, it’ll certainly be an interesting one, playing against him, next season."During his appearance on House of Rugby, last week, Coetzee spoke about his desire to help Ulster win a trophy. Should they get that win over Munster, next weekend, they will back themselves to top Conference A - ahead of Leinster - and have another Guinness PRO14 Final crack. YOU CAN WATCH THAT FULL EPISODE HERE:
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