Pretoria – Springboks Flip van der Merwe and Arno Botha have returned to full training following a pectoral and hamstring injury respectively and will be considered for the Bulls Super Rugby match against the Reds at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
They will join the likes of Jan Serfontein and Handre Pollard, who missed last weekend’s clash against the Lions.
However, lock Victor Matfield has been ruled out for at least three weeks with a knee ailment.
Jesse Kriel (ribs), Burger Odendaal (arm), JJ Engelbrecht (pectoral), Trevor Nyakane (shoulder) and Jacques du Plessis (muscle spasm) all picked up light niggles on the weekend and sat out training on Monday.
All of them will be back in action on Tuesday, as well as Basil Short, who recovered from concussion.
Akona Ndungane (broken hand, April 13), Lappies Labuschagne (shoulder, April 13), William Small-Smith (foot, April 20) and Travis Ismaiel (ribs, April 20) will return to action before the end of the month.
Pierre Schoeman (ACL, July 31), Bandise Maku (pectoral, July 31), Carlo Engelbrecht (ankle, five weeks), Werner Kruger (ankle, five weeks), Duncan Matthews (ACL, July 31), Ruan Steenkamp (PCL, July 31), Ryan Nell (ACL, August 31) are all on the long-term recovery list.
Sport24
