Jan Serfontein and Victor Matfield will miss the Vodacom Bulls' match against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

This will be in accordance with Saru's agreement on the management of Springbok players.

Serfontein missed Saturday's win over the Crusaders with a hip injury and will play no part in this weekend's match, with his place likely to be filled by Burger Odendaal.

Matfield has featured in every one of the Bulls' six matches to date, although he did start the victory over the Force on the bench, with Grant Hattingh taking his place in the starting XV.

A number of players missed Monday's training session with niggling injuries, but Jesse Kriel (hip), JJ Engelbrecht (knee), Trevor Nyakane (sick), Jacques Engelbrecht (sick), Rudy Paige (hip), and Morné Mellett (back) will all return to training on Tuesday.

Joining them will be Jacques-Louis Potgieter and Callie Visagie who have recovered from a hamstring strain and injured ribs respectively, and will be fit to face the Lions on Saturday.

However, Lappies Labuschagne (chest) and Arno Botha (hamstring) have been ruled out for another week, while Flip van der Merwe is still a week away from returning to training.

Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images