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The Bulls were dealt a massive blow when it was confirmed on Monday that their Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez will miss the rest of the season’s league fixtures, and will struggle to be fit in time for the playoffs, if his team makes it.
Du Preez limped off the field during Saturday’s victory over the Sharks in Durban after a freak collision with prop Werner Kruger, and it was confirmed on Monday he had a Grade 2 medial ligament tear which will keep him out of action for at least 4-6 weeks.
The injury couldn’t come at a worse time for the Bulls, who have finally found the momentum they need for a late charge towards the Super Rugby playoffs, with Du Preez the general in charge of their run.
Team doctor Org Strauss confirmed that Du Preez was likely to miss the team’s remaining regular season fixtures, and admitted they were “hoping for him to return in the playoffs.”
“Fourie has a grade 2 injury to his medial ligaments on his right knee,” Strauss said, “He will be out of action for between four and six weeks and is very lucky that his knee didn’t sustain more damage.
“We expect him to react positively to rehabilitation and conservative treatment to the knee and to be back in action shortly.”
The Bulls luckily have another Springbok in Francois Hougaard available to fill in, in Du Preez’s absence but will miss the Springbok halfback’s pinpoint kicking game and decision-making on the field.
Whether Du Preez will still return in the playoffs waits to be seen, as with the Springboks wanting their best-available side ready for the World Cup, it may be that he is given extra time to recover ahead of the showpiece tournament in New Zealand in September.
The Bulls managed to escape their bruising encounter in Durban relatively injury free, with only Du Preez’s knee troubling them as they began preparations to face the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Midfielder Wynand Olivier has a bruised elbow, fullback Gerhard van den Heever has a sore shoulder while prop Werner Kruger is nursing a sore neck. No 8 Pierre Spies has a bruised hip and like his fellow wounded, is unlikely to take part in Monday’s training session.
“We don’t expect any problems and all of them should be able to train again either on Tuesday or Wednesday,” Strauss said.
The Bulls will need to win all of their remaining games if they want to feature in the playoffs, after a poor start to the season where they lost five early matches.
