Bulls’ play-off hopes take a knock as they struggle with injury crisis

FACED with the undesirable task of winning all three of their remaining matches if they want to stand a chance of making the Super Rugby play-offs, the Bulls have been rocked by an injury crisis at prop and amongst the loose forwards.

The Bulls injury list reads like something out of a casualty ward with Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane ruled out for at least the upcoming game against the Sunwolves in Singapore while Lizo Gqoboka (toe ligaments) and Frans van Wyk (ankle) will only return to the side ahead of next year’s pre-season in November.

While the men in blue will get some temporary reprieve with the return to action of Pierre Schoeman and Conraad van Vuuren who had both served three game suspensions, there is serious concern at how thin the Bulls stocks are in the frontrow.

Amongst the loose forwards injuries to Roelof Smit and Marco van Staden had further compounded the loss of Tim Agaba and Hendre Stassen.

Van Staden seems to have recovered quickly from knee and ankle injuries suffered in the Bulls’ last game before the June international break against the Brumbies and is likely to partner with Thembelani Bholi and Nic de Jager but there is concern over the lack of match fitness of the reserves with Hanro Liebenberg and Jannes Kirsten recently returning from injury.

There were more bad news yesterday when captain and centre Burger Odendaal was ruled out after suffering a calf strain injury in Sunday’s match against the Golden Lions in the Rugby Challenge while Springbok wing Travis Ismaiel is struggling with a niggle after returning from international duty, confirmed Bulls team doctor Herman Rossouw.

Bulls coach John Mitchell has been at pains to put together a team to travel to Singapore and not only be competitive but also win, if they are to remain in play-off contention.

“We are in a crisis situation with the props and we only have Pierre and Conraad standing. The loose forward area is also a crisis because we only have players returning from long term injury, and none of them are match fit as much as I would like them to be. We certainly have a big challenge in that area,” said Mitchell.

As much as Mitchell and his team find themselves in a rather desperate situation, the former All Blacks mentor is still considering the health of his returning Springboks and is likely to rest some if not start them off the bench against the Sunwolves.

Mitchell is pleased at the honest shift his players put in at international level and was particularly satisfied to see how well lock RG Snyman did at Test level while scrumhalves Ivan van Zyl and Embrose Papier also got a taste of playing on the big stage.

“It was good to see that some of the guys found their feet at Test level,” Mitchell said of his new Boks.