Double blow for Bulls

The Blue Bulls will be without Bjorn Basson and Morné Mellett for the opening weekend of the Currie Cup competition.

Basson (two weeks, ankle) and Mellett (one week, knee) will not be available to face the Golden Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday, team doctor, Org Strauss, confirmed.

Some players did not train on Monday, but will be fit for selection.

This includes Grant Hattingh (ankle), Tony Jantjies (gastro) and Jono Ross (hip), but all three will be back on the training ground on Tuesday.

Callie Visagie, Marcel van der Merwe, Basil Short, Roelof Smit and Ryan Nell, who had niggles last week, were declared fit.