Coaches Jake White and John Dobson have shed further light on the injury status around Bulls captain Duane Vermeulen and Stormers scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies respectively.

Both Vermeulen and Jantjies were substituted in the first half of the clash between the Bulls and Stormers in Pretoria, which the home side won thanks to a try after the fulltime hooter.

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Vermeulen had to be helped from the field and was later seen on the Bulls bench with ice on his ankle.

Given that both are Springboks and are expected to be named in the 45-man squad for the upcoming series against the British & Irish Lions, there is obvious concern over their availability and readiness for the tour.

Speaking after the match, Bulls head coach White said that while he hopes that Vermeulen’s ankle injury is minor, it could be ‘serious’ as it forced him off the field.

‘It doesn’t look too good, I must say. Duane’s a tough guy and for him to say that he wants to come off. Obviously it is not ideal.  We know that if he is sore, then it is something.

‘He did hurt his ankle a couple of weeks ago, but it’s a different injury. I am hoping for his sake, obviously he has got ambitions of being selected for the Springbok side and playing against the Lions, that it’s just a minor twisted ankle.’

Meanwhile, Dobson said that Jantjies had been struggling with a ‘respiratory’ illness before the game, but he was tested for Covid-19 and they  had to risk playing him, as they only had two scrumhalves – including Godlen Masimla – with the squad in Pretoria.

‘He was ill before the game,’ Dobson explained. ‘They tested him before the game, but he was very ill. We just didn’t have another scrumhalf in Pretoria. He’s sick. He went straight off the field and has gone for medical treatment.

‘It was more of a respiratory illness. We weren’t sure during the warm up whether he would make it, but he tried.’

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