Du Preez blow for Bulls

The Bulls will face the Highlanders without captain Fourie du Preez who has been ruled out due to a hand injury and will be replaced by Heini Adams.

The Bulls will face the Highlanders without captain Fourie du Preez who has been ruled out due to a hand injury and will be replaced by Heini Adams.

Du Preez injured his hand in the early stages of the competition against the Lions and the injury just got worse as the tournament progressed.

Bulls team doctor Tommie Smook said Du Preez's hand is badly bruised but he is optimistic that the Springbok number nine will be available for selection for next week's game.

Young scrum-half Francois Hougaard, who is currently in France with the South Africa Under-20 side, will fly to home on Thursday in order to be back in time for the match against the team from Dunedin.

Hougaard toured with the Bulls to Australasia and is familiar with the calls and patterns.

With Du Preez on the injury list Wikus van Heerden will take over the captaincy for the match against the Highlanders.

This means new Bulls coach Frans Ludeke and newly-appointed captain Van Heerden will renew their partnership of a few years ago when both were in charge of their respective departments while serving at the unsuccessful Cats and Lions.