Reports this week suggested that the Bulls and their South African rivals the Cheetahs could be forced to vacate their grounds earlier than planned due to concerns over the pitches that will be used during the forthcoming Fifa World Cup that kicks off in the country on June 11.

Butana Komphela, chairman of the parliamentary sports' portfolio committee, will meet with officials from both sides on Tuesday to clarify the situation but played down suggestion that the teams had already been asked to move. "The questions we have are from our observations during our inspection 100 days before the start of the World Cup," he said. "At that time the Loftus pitch was not good at all. A report from a Fifa grass specialist said the Loftus and Bloemfontein pitches were not right. But after our inspection last week we found that the grass at Loftus is growing very well. We just want to find out what the teams' schedules are and when they will give over the stadiums to Fifa."

But Komphela has also hinted that he would welcome a move away from Loftus Versfeld. "We like the Bulls' plan to play in Soweto and perhaps they could play some more games there," he said. "I want to ask them if they genuinely feel they can play at Loftus on Saturday."

The Bulls, one of the favourites to reach the Super 14 play-offs, have three home games left in the regular season and have already had to make contingency plans should they qualify for a home semi-final and final, with those games set to be played at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

Ross, 25, played eight Tests for the All Blacks last year but was omitted for the end-of-year tour to Japan and Europe and told by the selectors to bulk up in the off-season. He started four Super 14 matches for the Crusaders this year but missed selection for the 22 in the past three weeks and was sent back to club rugby as he slipped behind Brad Thorn, Chris Jack and youngster Sam Whitelock in the pecking order.

Meanwhile, Chiefs winger Lelia Masaga is ruled out of rugby for the next three to six weeks due to a tear to his lateral meniscus of his right knee. Masaga will be undergoing an arthroscopy to repair his injury on Friday in Hamilton.

The southern franchise may have just sat out a bye week but a decision to release Macdonald and backup scrum-half Sean Romans to play club rugby over the weekend backfired, with Romans suffering a significant hamstring injury. Macdonald has played in all but one game this season, mostly off the bench behind Jason Rutledge, while Romans has made four appearances.

Better news for coach Glenn Moore ahead of Saturday's match against the Hurricanes is that fullback Israel Dagg is recovering well from a groin niggle and may play, according to the Otago Daily Times. Five-eighth Michael Hobbs could also return from a badly bruised thigh but first five-eighth Mathew Berquist (hamstring) and No 8 Nasi Manu (knee) remain in doubt.