Stephen Ferris concerned about Marcell Coetzee's Ulster future

Former Ulster, Ireland and British Lions flanker Stephen Ferris feels Ulster will struggle to keep talisman Marcell Coetzee at the Kingspan Stadium due to rugby’s current financial climate.
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The Springbok No8, whose current deal runs to 2022, has been linked to a move back to South Africa with the Bulls making most noise about signing the backrow.

Coetzee is the top ball carrier in the Pro14 this season with 98 and his value to Ulster was demonstrated when he missed the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final defeat in Toulouse and Saturday’s reversal at Gloucester which all but ends the province’s hopes of reaching the last eight for a third consecutive season.

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Ferris, who played over 100 times for Ulster and now works as a pundit on Premier Sports, feels that players must do what is right for them and it is inevitable that pay cuts are coming when new contracts are up for negotiations.

Marcell CoetzeeMarcell Coetzee
Marcell Coetzee

“You hear the Exeter owner talking about them losing roughly around a million pound a month, it would be interesting to see if Johnny Petrie was able to come out and say what Ulster are losing a as well,“ stated Ferris.

“With no fans there for the foreseeable (future) it is going to be very tough to be able to pay lads £400,000 or £500,000 a year going forward.

“The only way Marcell Coetzee is going to pick those pay cheques up is if he moves back to Japan.

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“The owner of the Blue Bulls has deep deep pockets so he could potentially go back to South Africa and work under Jake White and hopefully stay in the Pro14 or he could make a move to France.

“Players like Coetzee are few and far between because he is so sought after,

“I think 99 per cent of the players will be taking pay cuts over the next couple of years and their contacts are going to reduce.

“Then you have that remaining one per cent like Coetzee and Finn Russell are still going to be very much sought after players so I think it is going to be extremely difficult.

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“Coetzee has shown a little be of faith in Ulster by signing another contract after they stood by him following his knee injuries.

“But personally if I was Marcell Coetzee and the talent he has, and the money that he could potentially earn to set up his family and everyone else, if the numbers don’t add up at Ulster I’d certainly be making the move.”

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