VIDEO: Bulls ready to 'roll the derby dice'

Yesterday at 01:17 PM

February is the month of love, but there will be no love lost between the four South African franchises as the United Rugby Championship resumes with a series of spicy domestic derbies.

It starts at Ellis Park on Saturday, where at ambitious Lions team hosts the Bulls in a Trans-Jukskei derby.

The Stormers (top of the SA pops with 11 points) and the Sharks (nine points) have both played three of their six Shield games - against other SA teams.

The Bulls (one losing bonus point) and Lions (zero) have only played one game each.

The Lions, who lost 10-29 to the Stormers in a Round Eight game, host the Bulls at Ellis Park in a Round 10 match, on Saturday.

They then face the Stormers at The Den on February 15, followed by a Round Nine catch-up match with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on February 22, host the Sharks (Round 12, March 1) and travel to Durban to face the Sharks (Round 12, March 8).

The Bulls, who lost 17-20 to the Sharks in Round Eight, face the Lions this Saturday - followed by a trip to Cape Town (Stormers, Round One rescheduled, February 8), host the Sharks (Round 11, February 15), Lions (Round Nine rescheduled, February 22) and the Stormers (Round 12, March 1).

Veteran Bulls and Springbok loose forward Marcell Coetzee described it as a 'massive' game, in terms of the bigger URC and South African Shield picture - when they start that derby journey at Ellis Park.

(WATCH as Bulls veteran Marcell Coetzee explains the importance of their run of domestic derby matches in the next two months....)

"It is never easy travelling over the Jukskei [River] to Ellis Park," he told @rugby365com.

"The Lions have grown as a squad and are a full 80-minute team.

"It is 'respect' that comes to mind," he said of the high-paced, counter-attacking Lions team, adding: "We excited after the good [48-7 Champions Cup] win [over Stade Francais] at the weekend.

"We want to continue that form and continuity."

The Pretoria-based franchise is well-placed in the URC - sitting pretty in fourth place with 25 points - with two games in hand on the pace-setting Leinster (43 points), defending champions Glasgow Warriors (33) and Cardiff (28).

"We want to make the most of those two games, so this is an important game."

Coetzee, 33 with 31 Test caps, said the final quarter is going to be key against a 'fit' team like the Lions.

"The impact off the bench is going to be important," he said, adding: "We will have to go the full 80 if we want to get the win."

Then there is the 'derby spice' that adds to an already testy Trans-Jukskei encounter.

"You want to be top of the [South African] conference and that adds spice and fuel to this game."

Coetzee spoke of the 'mutual respect' between the two Gauteng neighbours.

"However, this weekend it is about the top prize, so it will be lethal."

@king365ed
@rugby365com

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