Botha blow for Bulls
The Springbok player suffered a medial meniscal tear last Friday during the Bulls 50-3 win over the Tokyo Eagles.
He has been ruled out for between four and five weeks, team doctor Org Strauss confirmed on Monday.
Two more players involved in that match – flanks Pieter Labuschagne (lower back) and Roelof Smit (influenza) – will only train on Tuesday.
However, they will both be available for selection for the team to play the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday in the opening round of the Currie Cup.
Jurgen Visser (hamstring) has also been cleared to join training on Tuesday, but Justin Forwood (rib, two weeks till his return) and Neethling Fouche (ankle, two weeks) will only be back on the field later this month.
Pierre Schoeman (knee, August 15) and Ruan Steenkamp (knee, August 15) will be back later this month and Duncan Matthews and Ryan Nell should be able to play again at the end of August, following knee surgery.
Irne Herbst and Piet van Zyl (knees) are out for the season, as is Dennis Visser (ankle) and Morné Mellett – who underwent successful surgery on a vertebral artery dissection.
Mellett will be out for at least six months.
