CONFIRMED: Bismarck receives another ban

NEWS: Bismarck du Plessis will not be involved in the Bulls' crucial United Rugby Championship clash against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Pretoria-based franchise confirmed that the 37-year-old Springbok received a three-game for striking an opponent in a mid-week Currie Cup clash against Western Province.

The incident was missed by officials in the game.

After that clash, WP coach Jerome Paarwater and captain Nama Xaba fumed about the incident involving Du Plessis and WP lock Ben-Jason Dixon.

Video footage showed Du Plessis striking the lock in the second half.

"It was disappointing," Xaba said about the inability of the TMO to find an angle with a clear view of the Du Plessis incident.

"It’s outrageous that they didn’t have an angle on it.

"I was right next to it and I saw a clear strike to the face of our lock, Ben-Jason [Dixon].

"It is very disappointing.

"In the context of the game, in the second half, they had scored a try. It could have been a potential red card or a yellow card."

Du Plessis was originally named on the bench for Saturday's rescheduled URC Round 13 against the Stormers.

He will now be replaced by Joe van Zyl.

Du Plessis only recently returned from a three-game ban for foul play in a match against Munster last month.

He received a red card in that match when he dangerously lifted Munster's Alex Kendellen over his shoulders.

Bulls - revised: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Zak Burger, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.

Replacements: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Arno Botha, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Morne Steyn, 23 Cornal Hendricks.

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