Marcel van der Merwe to miss Super Rugby opener

Bulls prop Marcel van der Merwe will miss the opening week of the Super Rugby season due to a medial knee ligament injury, the union announced this week.

The injury occurred on Saturday in London, when the Blue Bulls played against English club side Saracens in a warm-up friendly.

Van der Merwe injured his knee and pulled his hamstring in the second half and would be out for three to four weeks, team doctor Org Strauss confirmed.

The Springbok prop was the only casualty in the match and Bulls coach Frans Ludeke should have a fairly fit squad to pick from for their first match, against the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on February 14.