VIDEO: The good and the bad of Bulls' medical update
Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White had good and bad news in the build-up to their Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter with Lyon Olympique Universitaire at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
World Cup-winning Springbok Marco van Staden will not be available for the face-off in Pretoria, after he suffered a Medial Collateral Ligament injury in the humbling 14-47 loss to Leinster in a United Rugby Championship outing at the RDS Arena in Dublin this past Friday.
However, White added that the 28-year-old’s injury isn’t as severe as initially feared.
“We’re waiting for the MRI [scan], but the doctor doesn’t think it was as bad as initially expected,” the Bulls boss said.
“Again, I’ll wait for the MRI before I say anything, because I don’t want to tell you that and then the MRI finds something else.”
White reiterated the statement made in the post-match reaction, that he opted to replace the seasoned Bok as a precaution at the end of the first quarter in Dublin last Friday.
(WATCH as Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White gives an injury update at the start of their build-up to their Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter with Lyon Olympique Universitaire.…)
“I took him off because he’s got a Springbok career and an important year ahead of him,” White said.
“He could have vasbyted [played on] and maybe strapped it.
“I just thought just now everything goes in his knee and then he’s out for nine months.”
Van Staden was replaced by Celimpilo Gumede in Dublin, which brings the 23-year-old into the frame for a starting spot against Lyon – alongside co-captain Marcell Coetzee and Elrigh Louw.
However, Cameron Hanekom seems to be making good progress in recovering from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the URC trip to Newport (a 31-10 bonus-point win over the Dragons) and Dublin (the loss to Leinster).
White did not reveal much about Hanekom’s possible return, but said Cyle Brink and Jannes Kirsten are still sidelined with foot injuries.
Brink won’t return for several months, while Kirsten should return in May.
Nizaam Carr could come into a bench role against Lyon.
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