Double blow for wounded Bulls

Bulls locks Flip van der Merwe and Grant Hattingh are heading home due to injury and will be replaced by Wilhelm Steenkamp and Jean Cook.

Springbok Van der Merwe has not recovered from a chest muscle strain while a scan revealed a broken thumb for Hattingh, so Steenkamp and Hattingh were flown out to Canberra ahead of their final tour match against the Brumbies.

The experienced Steenkamp has 52 Super Rugby caps under his belt, while Cook debuted for the Bulls against the Western Force earlier in the season, scoring a try in the process.

A final fitness call on Bjorn Basson and Deon Stegmann will be made on Wednesday.

Basson still has trouble with an ankle and Stegmann will have to prove that he is over his hamstring strain.