Players will have one last chance to impress as a new-look Blue Bulls side play their final Currie Cup warm-up match on Friday. This week‚ the Pretoria side are in Japan where they will take on Top League side Canon Eagles on Friday‚ as they prepare for the start of their domestic action next week. The side was dealt a blow on Monday with the announcement of an injury to front-rower Morne Mellett.The 26-year-old loosehead prop will not see any action this year after being ruled out for six months suffering from vertebral artery dissection.The former under-20 front-rower with 26 Currie Cup and 36 Super Rugby games under his belt will only be given a clean bill of health for next year’s extended Super Rugby campaign. Injuries continue to plague the Pretoria side’s front row.Promising prop youngsters Dayan van der Westhuizen (shoulder)‚ Justin Forwood (rib)‚ Pierre Schoeman (knee) and Neethling Fouche (ankle) — all graduates from the Bulls’ junior structures — are all nursing their ailments and expected to be recovered in two weeks‚ in the second week of the Currie Cup tournament.With the experienced Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger set to lead the firepower up front‚ the injury to Mellett affords an opportunity for another highly rated former Bulls and SA junior prop Nqoba Mxoli to claim a spot as back up against the Eagles and in the Currie Cup.The same can be said about ex-SA under-20 locks RG Snyman and Jannes Kirsten‚ who will provide cover for Marvin Orie and Jacques du Plessis in the absence of Victor Matfield and Flip van der Merwe while they are on national duty with the Springboks.Loose-forward Lappies Labuschagne‚ who joined the Bulls at the start of the Super Rugby season this year‚ has been given the responsibility of leading the side as captain for their Far East journey. Burger Odendaal will be vice-captain.The Bulls’ travelling group is:Backs: Warren Gelant‚ Kefentse Mahlo‚ Travis Ismaiel‚ Jamba Ulengo‚ William Small-Smith‚ Dries Swanepoel‚ Burger Odendaal‚ Louis Fouche‚ Tian Schoeman‚ Francois Hougaard‚ Ivan van ZylForwards: Hanro Liebenberg‚ Arno Botha‚ Deon Stegmann‚ Lappies Labuschagne‚ Roelof Smit‚ Jannes Kirsten‚ Marvin Orie‚ RG Snyman‚ Jacques du Plessis‚ Werner Kruger‚ Dean Greyling‚ Nqoba Mxoli‚ Bandise Maku‚ Jaco Visagie – The Times..