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Pretoria - Blue Bulls loose forward Arno Botha will miss the opening month of the Currie Cup competition due to a knee strain.
The Springbok suffered a medial meniscal tear during the Blue Bulls match against the Canon Eagles in Japan last Friday.
He has been ruled out for between four and five weeks, team doctor Org Strauss confirmed on Monday.
Two more players involved in that match - Lappies Labuschagne (lower back) and Roelof Smit (influenza) - will train on Tuesday only, but will be available for selection for the team to play the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in the opening round of the Currie Cup on Saturday.
Jurgen Visser (hamstring) has also been cleared to join training on Tuesday, but Justin Forwood (rib, two weeks) and Neethling Fouche (ankle, two weeks) will only be back on the field later this month.
Pierre Schoeman (knee, August 15) and Ruan Steenkamp (knee, August 15) will be back later this month, while Duncan Matthews and Ryan Nell should be able to play again at the end of August, following knee surgery.
Irne Herbst and Piet van Zyl (knee injuries) are out for the season, as is Dennis Visser (ankle) and Morne Mellett, who is struggling with a vertebral artery dissection. He will be out for at least six months.
