Triple blow for Bulls

March 17, 2013
Posted by Boertjie

Bulls backs Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard and Akona Ndungane will all be returning home following injuries in the Bulls’ 41-19 defeat at the hands of the Crusaders on Saturday.

Sport24

Olivier (knee, 4 weeks), Hougaard (ankle, two weeks) and Ndungane (cheekbone, four weeks) will be replaced on tour by Francois Venter, Ruan Snyman and fit-again Bjorn Basson.

The Bulls are in Brisbane to play the Reds this weekend and have another match in Australia in a fortnight, when they will face the Brumbies in Canberra.

Lock Flip van der Merwe (chest) is also doubtful for the Reds clash, whilst forward Grant Hattingh suffered a knock against the head and will not train early in the week. Centre Lionel Mapoe and flank Dewald Potgieter will also be fit for selection this week

Apart from the touring squad, the recovery of props Dean Greyling and Marcel van der Merwe is on track.

Van der Merwe will be ready to return to the playing field in May and Greyling could be back in three weeks.

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5 Comments

  1. Craven Craven says:
    March 17th, 2013 at 8:15 pm Reply to this comment

    Not cool, I was rooting for the Bulls to roll over the Reds this weekend.

    Still holding thumbs! Go Bully boys.

  2. Welshbok die Brandwag Welshbok die Brandwag says:
    March 18th, 2013 at 1:41 pm Reply to this comment

    Jan Serfontein should have started long ago, now is his chance.

  3. bok_in_oz bryce_in_oz says:
    March 18th, 2013 at 2:57 pm Reply to this comment

    Willemse has been called up too…

  4. Boertjie Boertjie says:
    March 18th, 2013 at 3:47 pm Reply to this comment

    Were there more injuries in the weekend
    games than normal?
    In the Poms-Welsh bash there was hardly
    a movement not ending with the medical
    staff on the field.
    Not much better than the SS games I saw.

    How long can a body last given this
    overload of action?

  5. DavidS Champion Supporter DavidS says:
    March 18th, 2013 at 6:41 pm Reply to this comment

    In the USA Football most players do not last more than about three seasons before a new crop takes their place.

    There are freaks that last plenty seasons but they are just that… freaks.

    The idea is to use a player up in a few short seasons and then discard him before the injuries take their toll.

    Suspect pro rugby is heading in the same direction. We cannot expect players to put their bodies 100% on the line for all but eight or twelve weekends a year and spend the whole year exercising to peak performance of fitness, speed and strength not to burn out quickly.

    It is already happening

    But fans being the dumb fuck lot they are attribute it to the player “losing form”

    Witness the partucularly stupid remarks directed at Heinrich Brussouw, Jean De Villiers (who is a freak!) and especially Morne Steyn last season

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