Share

Injured Bulls prop sues union for R45 million

Cape Town - The Bulls are in hot water with former prop Morne Mellett suing the union, and team doctor Herman Rossouw, for a reported R45 million

Mellett was forced into early retirement when he injured his neck in a 2015 Super Rugby clash against the Kings, Netwerk24 reports.

According to Mellett, he was examined by Rossouw on the field, with the doctor clearing him to keep playing the match.

What followed, though, was a life-threatening injury. 

The hit to the right side of Mellett's neck caused a rupture to the vertebral vein responsible for supplying blood to the brain, a medical report says. 

Mellett still has a blood clot in his head, which the report adds could move to his brain at any time. 

The report adds that Mellett suffered a stroke in the minutes following the game. 

"Immediately after the game, Mellett was off balance, couldn’t feel his fingers and was unable to describe to doctors what (was) wrong. A few hours after the game, he suffered a stroke," the court document said.

Mellett's lawyer, Jan Lamprecht, also spoke.

"His dream to play rugby was taken away in an instant and now he has to walk around with the knowledge that he can die at any moment because of the blood clot," he said.

The Bulls have confirmed that they will contest the case.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1120 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1287 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 1982 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE