VIDEO: Bok answers Bulls SOS
INJURY UPDATE: The Bulls flew in some reinforcements ahead of the final match of their Australasian tour.
Treviso-bound lock Eli Snyman and flyhalf Handrè Pollard (who will head to Montpellier after the World Cup) will join the team ahead of their Round 17 encounter with the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday.
The Bulls paid a dear price for their 22-all draw with the Blues last Friday.
They suffered three injury setbacks, with two players having already returned home.
Loose forward Paul Schoeman left the field in the first half with a knee injury.
He has flown back to South Africa, where he will undergo scans to assess the extent of the damage.
Wing Rosko Specman has also returned to South Africa after scans confirmed that he has a Grade Two hamstring tear.
Warrick Gelant has a hamstring niggle, but has not returned to South Africa.
A decision on his availability for the Highlanders encounter will be made in due course.
Snyman and Pollard will join the squad on Tuesday as injury cover for Schoeman and Specman respectively.
Pollard initially returned home a fortnight ago, with a calf injury.
The initial plan was to rest him for both matches in New Zealand – against the Blues and Highlanders.
However, given the precarious position the Bulls find themselves in – seventh on the standings with two tough matches remaining – coach Pote Human has decided to gamble on Pollard.
It says much about young flyhalf Manie Libbok’s showing against the Blues that Human would risk the Bok stalwart and the jet lag factor at this late stage of the season.
Team doctor Herman Rossouw said Pollard has “fully” recovered from his calf strain, but muscle injuries have a knack of flaring up at the most inopportune times.
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