Surgery flattens another Bull
Wed, 14 May 2008 10:41
The Bulls were dealt a cruel blow on Wednesday when it was confirmed that flank Wikus van Heerden will undergo surgery to repair damage to a knee cartilage - which will rule him out of the team's final Super 14 match of the season, against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Ian Schwartz, the Business and Communications Manager at the Bulls, confirmed that Van Heerden - who was injured in last week's 28-17 win over the Brumbies - will be replaced in the starting line-up by fellow Springbok Pedrie Wannenburg.
Bulls team doctor Tommie Smook revealed that a scan had shown a small tear in the cartilage.
"This means we'll have to clean the knee," Smook said.
Van Heerden will join flyhalf Derick Hougaard on the sidelines as the Bulls head to Bloemfontein - in an attempt to stretch their late-season victory run to four consecutive matches.
Hougaard has been ruled out with an infected abscess on his gluteus muscle.
Promising young Dewald Potgieter, who last played Super 14 rugby on the team's tour of Australasia, is expected to take Wannenburg's place on the bench.
Van Heerden's performance against the Brumbies at Loftus last Friday was statistically the best by any Bulls player in 2008. He has won the Man of the match Award on a couple of occasions in recent weeks.
The Bulls have a formula which includes amongst others, aspects like tackles made, ball carriers, cleans, ball steals, kicks chased, balls slowed down, etc to work out an individual's performance and according to this formula Van Heerden's work rate was the best by any player in 2008.
