The Bulls were dealt another injury blow in the build-up to the defence of their Super 14 crown with the news that Emerging Springbok captain and Bok loose forward Dewald Potgieter has been sidelined through a training ground injury.

It was revealed that Potgieter, with one Test cap to his credit, will be sidelined after he sustained a knee injury during practice on Tuesday.

Potgieter, who toured with the Boks at the end of 2009, picked up a grade two medial ligament injury and at this point it looks as if the flamboyant youngster will miss the opening round of the Super 14 tournament – when the Bulls tackle the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on February 12.

Bulls team doctor Org Strauss confirmed on Tuesday that the injury is quite serious and it he estimates that Potgieter will be on the sideline for four to six weeks.

The defending champion Bulls are already without four frontline players.

Potgieter’s training ground mishap follows after utility back Francois Hougaard injured his knee and the versatile Springbok is also in doubt for the opening round of the Super 14 tournament.

Hougaard underwent surgery to repair ligament damage earlier this month and the talented youngster, who made his debut for South Africa in the November against Italy, will not be able to play for another month.

This follows after confirmation that veteran lock Bakkies Botha, hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle and wing Akona Ndungane are all set too miss some of the early rounds of the competition, as they carry injuries from last year into 2010.

Botha severely injured his Achilles tendon on the Springboks’ year-end tour, Ralepelle missed the bulk of the Currie Cup with a foot injury and failed to complete the opening match of the year-end tour when he broke down again, eventually requiring extensive surgery, while Ndungane is still on the road back to full recovery after a leg fracture he suffered in the Currie Cup last year.

Potgieter was one of the Bulls’ best and most effective players in the 2009 tournament and it came as no surprise when the national selectors appointed him as the captain of the Emerging Boks that played against the British & Irish Lions.

He was just as good in the Currie Cup and he duly received his Springbok colours on the end of the year tour.