Battered Bulls hoping for Bok boost

The Blue Bulls, battered and bruised from their loss to the Free State Cheetahs, will hope to get at least one Springbok before facing the table-topping Sharks.

Bulls captain Dewald Potgieter was a late withdrawal from his team's 18-32 loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last Friday and remains a "doubtful starter" ahead of the unbeaten Sharks' Round Three visit to Loftus Versfeld this coming Saturday.

Bulls team doctor Org Strauss said the Bok loose forward, who again did not train on Monday, suffered deep muscle bruising against Griquas in Round One.

"We will give him till Wednesday [before making a call], but it is looking very positive," Strauss told this website, adding that Potgieter worked out on his own.

The Bulls team doctor also revealed that loose forward Arno Botha, who missed the trip to Bloemfontein due to a hamstring injury, could be back on the field this week.

"He [Botha] ran with the team," Strauss said, adding: "He will also be given till Wednesday before we make a call."

Strauss said for the rest it was the usual "bumps and bruises".

Midfielder Johann Sadie, who returned to training last week after sitting out almost two months following an ankle injury, is also likely to come into the selection frame this week.

He trained last week, but as coach Pine Pienaar explained to this website, they wanted to give him another week of "conditioning".

By Jan de Koning