Bulls boss Jake White has opened up about the significance of the high injury toll on his squad ahead of their United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Edinburgh in Pretoria on Saturday.
The Bulls are set to welcome Edinburgh to Loftus Versfeld on Saturday for a high-stakes United Rugby Championship quarterfinal clash.
As the buildup intensifies, Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White has provided updates on the fitness of two key Springboks: flyhalf Johan Goosen and prop Gerhard Steenekamp.
Goosen sustained a knee injury earlier this month during the Bulls’ win over Cardiff, prompting fears that it could mark the end of his playing career given his history of knee troubles.
However, those concerns were eased when White later revealed that the veteran playmaker had undergone a successful medical procedure and could potentially return before the end of the season.
BULLS HOPEFUL OF BOK’S RETURN SHOULD THEY PROGRESS
Despite that glimmer of hope, White confirmed this week that Goosen will not be available for the quarterfinal fixture. Still, he hasn’t ruled out a return should the Bulls progress further in the competition.
“People thought it was a career-ending injury, but here he is, sitting behind me and starting to run again,” White said during a training session. “We just need to keep our season alive and hopefully get most of our guys back—excluding the long-term injuries—before it’s over.”
Meanwhile, Steenekamp, who also suffered a knee injury, has resumed training in recent weeks but remains sidelined and will miss the Edinburgh clash.
“Guys like Elrigh Louw, Gerhard Steenekamp and Johan Goosen are not available, but other than that, we are in a good place,” White added. “Considering the time of year and the amount of rugby we’ve played, we’re not badly off.”
With several players still on the mend, the Bulls will be hoping their available squad can rise to the occasion and keep their URC title hopes alive.
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Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/bulls/bulls-dealt-double-bok-blow/
