Pretoria - Bulls scrumhalf Francois Hougaard will be out of action for four weeks after picking up a foot injury in training, the franchise said in a statement on Saturday.
The Blue Bulls Rugby Union said Hougaard had a stress fracture in his foot.
"Francois experienced some pain in his foot on Monday and it became worse later in the week. A scan revealed the fracture," team doctor Org Strauss confirmed.
The franchise said Hougaard was in a race against time to be fit for their opening fixture of Vodacom Super Rugby.
The Bulls face the Lions in their first match on February 19 in Johannesburg.