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Prop blow for Springboks

Cape Town - Tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe has been ruled out of the end-of-year-tour to Europe with a knee injury.

READ: Brits out of Bok contention

Van der Merwe, 23, was injured in the Blue Bulls' 31-23 Currie Cup semi-final loss to Western Province at Newlands last Saturday and will miss the next four to six weeks with a medial knee ligament injury.

“He fell awkwardly in the last few minutes of the game,” Blue Bulls doctor Org Strauss told the supersport.com website.

“He has a Grade 2 medial ligament tear, luckily not the same knee that has given him problems in the past, I expect him to be out for anywhere between four and six weeks.”

The Springboks will play Tests against Ireland (Dublin, November 8), England (London, November 15), Italy (Padova, November 22) and Wales (Cardiff, November 29).

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