Fullback Willie le Roux is a fitness concern for the Vodacom Bulls in the countdown to this week’s URC final against the Glasgow Warriors in Pretoria.

The two-time Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok was replaced by Cornel Smit during the second half of a 25-20 win for the Bulls over Leinster at Loftus Versfeld yesterday.

The Bulls host Scottish outfit Glasgow at Loftus in the first URC decider to be played on the Highveld, and addressing Le Roux’s availability, director of rugby Jake White revealed the veteran outside back took a serious blow to the neck.

“It’s not just an HIA [head injury assessment], he got whacked on his neck as well,” he was quoted post-match. “We’ve also got to go and check and see how his neck is from an injury perspective.

“It’s obviously not great because we’ve also got Canan [Moodie] and Kurt-Lee [Arendse] out – [it seems like if] you’re picked for the Boks and play in the world cup you don’t get to play for the Bulls every week.

“[Le Roux] was outstanding,” White added. “To be fair, people underestimate his value – just from the way he talks on the field, and those kicks he did at the back there.

“But let’s see, I didn’t think with the back-three we had we’d be as good today, so opportunity comes next week for someone else, hopefully we’ll be able to put someone in his place if he’s not available.

“You don’t want to play someone with a head injury. I’ve got kids, you don’t want to push guys into that situation, but who knows, maybe tomorrow it’s the neck that’s sore and when it heals, he’ll be fine for HIA protocols.”

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