Bulls coach John Mitchell says prop Trevor Nyakane was left out of the match 23 to face the Hurricanes at Loftus on Saturday due to concerns over his fitness.

Nyakane, who was shifted from loosehead to tighthead last season, has struggled with his fitness in the past, with former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer axing the player in 2013 due to concerns over his weight.

However, Mitchell says the door is still open for the 28-year-old to return in the next two weeks.

‘To be honest, Trevor is not far away. It is really dependent upon himself, the programme might change. He will probably be (back after) one week, maybe two, but it really depends on what he does in the next two weeks.

‘If there is an injury, then it becomes a different plan. He is going well. He has the ability to play both sides of the scrum and we have a lot of healthy competition in the squad. The guys realise that it comes down to what you do as opposed to what you have done in the past.’

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Mitchell added that he focused on how the players prepared during the pre-season when it came to selecting his match 23.

‘The team has basically evolved through the pre-season. The pre-season is where all plans come together and some athletes are still behind the timeline but they will be ready in time.

‘We believe we have gone for the best mix, based on how they have prepared and how they have gone during the trial phase.’

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