URC turns down Bulls' request for 'captain fantastic'

BREAKING NEWS: The Bulls suffered a cruel blow in the build-up to their United Rugby Championship quarterfinal trip to Cape Town.

URC bosses turned down a 'request' from the Bulls to allow veteran Springbok Marcell Coetzee to play in the clash with the Stormers on Saturday.

Coetzee only just returned from his sabbatical with the Kobe-based Steelers in Japan.

However, despite having played seven games earlier in the season, a rule change meant he was 'de-registered' during his time in Japan.

His return was not in time to register him for the quarterfinal.

The rule change followed a similar scenario with the Sharks' World Cup-winning Springbok Lukhanyo Am in April last year - when he also returned from a sabbatical in Japan.

The Bulls attempted to argue that Coetzee's situation is similar to an injured player returning, but the URC bosses were having none of it and the 31-times capped Bok will now be playing in the Currie Cup competition for the Bulls.

The Pretoria-based franchise was desperate to have his experience and leadership skills to call on against their arch-rivals, but is resigned to the fact that they will have to rely on the players that featured for them in the last few months.

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