A near full-strength Bulls team ran riot in Nelspruit this weekend, but a rib cartilage injury sustained by fullback Zane Kirchner may have taken some of the gloss off the result.
The defending Super 14 champions raced to a 68-5 victory over the Premier XV (basically the Pumas in disguise), with stand-in captain Fourie du Preez showing that he is quickly regaining his best form after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. New boy Bjorn Basson and old boy Wynand Olivier were the destroyers-in-chief, scoring a hat trick and a brace of tries respectively.
The injury to Kirchner will be further assessed today, but the early indications are that he might be in doubt for the Bulls’ opening game against the Lions. Captain Victor Matfield (neck), lock Flip van der Merwe (ankle) and center Jaco Pretorius (back) are all still unavailable at this stage too.
Pumas scrumhalf Tian Meyer schowed the benefit of the time he’d put in training with the Sharks in pre-season, scoring the only points of the match for his team via a consolation try.
Bulls 68 : tries: Bjorn Basson (3), Pierre Spies (2), Morné Steyn, Wynand Olivier (2), Deon Stegmann, Derick Kuün. Conversions: Steyn (7), Francois Brummer (2).
Premier XV 5 : Try: Tian Meyer.
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I hope the Bulls sort ALL thier injuries in time for opening match…
We want the best team at Ellis Park 👿
@csb (Comment 1) : say it like you mean it mate 🙂
@csb (Comment 1) : The best team’s home is Ellis Park!
Bulls are definately a different team now that FdP is fit again.
They`ll be difficult.
Wonder how much game time Francois Brummer will get?