Long time injury for Bakkies

The Bulls will start the defence of their Super 14 crown without the services of one of their stalwarts and key forwards, Springbok lock Bakkies Botha.

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It was confirmed that Botha will be on the sideline for three months, following an Achilles injury.

Botha, who has played in 83 Super Rugby matches for the Bulls and represented South Africa in 66 tests, will undergo surgery on Friday to repair the damage he suffered on the Boks’ disastrous year-end tour to Europe and Ireland.

Bulls team doctor Org Strauss said he expects that Botha will make his return in March.

That means he will miss at least the first three rounds of action – when the Bulls face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, the Brumbies in Pretoria and Waratahs (Pretoria). The Bulls have a bye in Week Four and meet the Highlanders in Pretoria in Week Five (March 13).

Botha withdrew from the Springbok that lost 10-15 to Ireland at Croke Park last Saturday – one of four defeats in South Africa’s five-match year-end tour.

The veteran second row forward was withdrawn from the game after receiving treatment for a back injury, suffered in the 32-10 win over Italy last month.

However, it has now been determined that he requires surgery to repair the damage to his Achilles.

Botha’s Springbok teammate Wynand Olivier is struggling with a knee injury, which will keep him from training for about three weeks.

Olivier is experiencing problems with a loose piece of cartilage in his knee, but the injury is under control and he will rejoin the Bulls squad in January – ahead of the start of the Super 14 season.

Strauss confirmed that the rest of the players in the squad are all doing fine and apart from Botha and Olivier there aren’t any other new injuries.

The Bulls will train in Pretoria until Friday, after which they will go to George for their gruelling summer camp.