<
>

Bulls-Stormers clash in Los Angeles cancelled

Pieter-Steph du Toit of the Stormers runs at Handre Pollard of the Bulls during the 2017 Super Rugby game between the Stormers and Bulls at Newlands Rugby Stadium, Cape Town on 25 February 2017 Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

The showpiece Super Rugby warm-up fixture between South Africa's Bulls and Stormers, which had been set for Los Angeles on 3 February, has been cancelled.

The Bulls have confirmed that the fixture will instead be played at Boland Stadium in Wellington on the same date.

They cited "issues regarding the agreed upon transfers and logistics" as forcing the cancellation of the match in the United States, which was set to showcase Super Rugby to a North American audience.

"The Super Rugby pre-season warm-up match, that was supposed to be played between the Bulls and the Stormers in Los Angeles, has been cancelled due to issues regarding the agreed upon transfers and logistics," said a statement from the Bulls.

"Player welfare and the management thereof are extremely important to the Bulls as well as the Stormers, and will not be compromised on in this regard."

The Stormers will open their Super Rugby campaign at home to the Jaguares on February 17, with the Bulls to get under way a week later when they host the Hurricanes.