Potgieter set to miss Bulls tour
by Brenden Nel 16 April 2012, 12:22
Vodacom Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter looks set to miss his team’s overseas tour in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby tournament after sustaining a grade two hamstring tear against the MTN Lions on Saturday.
Potgieter, who played just 10 minutes of rugby in the game, must be cursing his luck as he had made his first start of the year after recovering from an arm injury after a freak accident where he put his arm through a window at a wedding before the season began.
That injury, which was supposed to keep him out for 12 weeks, saw him return surprisingly to action a full five weeks early, after medical staff gave him the go-ahead and he was quickly drafted onto the Bulls bench this past weekend after Bok lock Flip van der Merwe pulled out with a groin injury shortly before the team announcement.
But the hamstring tear couldn’t have come at a worse time for Potgieter, who was hoping to fight his way back into the Bulls team, especially after some very good performances by CJ Stander and his namesake Jacques Potgieter in his absence.
Now unless he shows the same incredible recovery as he did for his arm, he is destined to miss the away leg of the Bulls campaign, as he has been ruled out for four to six weeks with the injury.
The Bulls are also desperately waiting on news on prop Dean Greyling, who went for a scan on Monday morning with a rib injury, and the team are hoping that it isn’t cracked or worse.
The bruising did subside on the weekend, which is a good sign, and if the scan doesn’t show any major damage the prop may be able to play against the Brumbies.
The Bulls will also be waiting on news on Van der Merwe, but flanker Deon Stegmann is still destined to miss this weekend’s game against the Brumbies.
Stegmann is recovering from his own hamstring tear and while coach Frans Ludeke last week said there was some positive moves and he hoped to have him back soon, it doesn’t seem that it will be this week after all.
Van der Merwe’s has a groin strain and he will be given until Wednesday to prove his fitness before a decision will be made.
