Bulls lose Mellett for the season

Pretoria - Blue Bulls prop Morné Mellett has been ruled out of rugby for the next six months at least.

The 26-year-old prop is suffering from vertebral artery dissection and will not return to the field again this year.

Props Justin Forwood (rib), Neethling Fouche (ankle) and Dayan van der Westhuizen (shoulder) are also out of action at the moment and will return to the training field in two weeks, team doctor Org Strauss confirmed.

Blue Bulls fullback Jurgen Visser has been cleared to return to the training field next week. The fullback is returning from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of Friday's match against the Canon Eagles in Japan.

Pierre Schoeman (knee, August 15) and Ruan Steenkamp (knee, August) will be back in three weeks.

Duncan Matthews and Ryan Nell should be able to play again at the end of August, following knee surgery.