As Marcell Coetzee started the new Vodacom United Rugby Championship season with a bang and a Man-of-the-Match performance when his Vodacom Bulls beat the Emirates Lions away this past Saturday, nobody could have been prouder of him than his dad Dries.
“I’m very proud of him. I get emotional every time he runs onto the field,” Coetzee’s father Dries said only a few days before the opening game as he joined his son at the Vodacom RED Father and Son Campout at Loftus Versfeld.
“We always believed he had the talent, but he surprised even us with how quickly he came through. He made his debut for the Cell C Sharks at the age of 19. To this day we remain proud of him and try not to miss a single game he plays.”
That kind of support is certainly not lost on Coetzee.
“My dad is my hero. I’ve always looked up to him. He’s shown me the true value of time and love, and what you receive from your family is how you can use it going forward to pursue your dreams. My parents have been incredible like that.”
