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Van Heerden under the knife

Wednesday 14th May 2008

Bulls blow: Van Heerden will undergo surgery

Bulls flanker Wikus van Heerden will undergo surgery to his damaged knee ruling him out of the defending champions Super 14 match-up with the Cheetahs.

Van Heerden, who was injured in last week's match against the Brumbies, will be replaced in the starting line-up by Springbok Pedrie Wannenburg.

Bulls team doctor Tommie Smook said the swelling around Van Heerden's knee had gone down but a scan had shown a small tear in the cartilage.

"This means we'll have to clean the knee," he said.

Van Heerden will join fly-half Derick Hougaard on the sidelines for this the final league match of the Super 14. Hougaard is unable to play due to 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.