Bakkies hearing deferred

Sydney - The citing hearing into the Bulls' Springbok lock Bakkies Botha has been deferred.

The Sanzar tribunal officials on Sunday said the hearing would be held on Monday to allow for the completion of final reports into an incident involving Botha in the Bulls' 20-6 Super 14 win over the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

Botha was cited to appear before the judiciary on a striking charge.

The deferment places the Bulls in a difficult position in preparing for their last match against the Brumbies, which takes place on Friday.

Whatever the out come of the hearing, the Bulls will field a new pairing at lock on Friday night. Captain Victor Matfield is on his way to South Africa for the birth of his second child on Tuesday - and his obvious replacement Danie Rossouw has a knee niggle which may jeopardise his chances of playing against the Brumbies.

"We can't really understand why Bakkies was cited," said Bulls coach Frans Ludeke according to Sunday newspaper Rapport, "but the sooner it can be resolved, the better. We're playing on Friday and want to know where we stand by Monday."

As the Bulls train on Monday and Tuesday, with Wednesday an off-day and Thursday set aside for travelling by bus from Sydney to Canberra, the team will now have only one day of preparation for the new lock paring pending the now deferred outcome of the Sanzar hearing.