Bulls' Boks ready for Kings
The Bulls have received a timely boost ahead of their first Super Rugby encounter with the high-flying Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
There was no serious injury concerns, following the Bulls 26-20 win over the Cheetahs at the weekend.
While a number of players picked up light strains, team doctor Org Strauss said most of them will be fit to travel to Port Elizabeth.
Wing Akona Ndungane (knee strain), scrumhalf Jano Vermaak (hamstring), as well as flanks Deon Stegmann (hamstring) and Jacques Potgieter (groin) will only train on Wednesday.
Backs Bjorn Basson and Francois Hougaard (both ankle injuries), who were send back home from tour in Australasia, will also train on Wednesday and could play in PE.
The news that Frans Venter will be out for two months due to a groin operation this week, is offset with veteran Bok Wynand Olivier will return to the fray next week.
The most experienced midfielder in the competition is recovering well from knee surgery.
The injury list as supplied by Strauss is: Grant Hattingh (thumb fracture – four weeks till his return), Wynand Olivier (grade two medial ligament injury – one week), Marcel van der Merwe (PCL/MCL knee – ready May 6), Zane Kirchner (finger operation – four weeks), Cornell Hess (ACL/LCL knee – six to eight months), Francois Venter (sportsman’s groin – undergoing surgery on Wednesday – eight weeks), Jean Cook (ankle – one week).
