Sitting eighth with three rounds left, the Bulls' play-off fate is largely in their own hands — but only just. A 47-7 demolition of the Dragons keeps them in the hunt, yet they remain three points behind the Lions in fourth. Coetzee's message is straightforward: control what you can, grind out maximum points, and don't rely on other results.
What adds an extra edge to Saturday's Scarlets clash is the Bulls' stubborn hoodoo at Parc y Scarlets — they've never won there. Last time out, a red card for Grobbelaar proved costly in a one-point loss. Coetzee and Van Staden both flag Scarlets' durability and the tightness of the table (positions three through nine separated by five or six points) as reasons why a slip now could be terminal. The piece is essentially a pre-match build-up, but the hoodoo angle and the play-off arithmetic make it worth a closer read.