Champion flanker Richie McCaw edged closer to a Super Rugby comeback after getting through a full training session with the Crusaders on Monday.

But the club said the All Blacks and Crusaders captain, who fractured his right-foot in the pre-season, would not play against the Bulls in Timaru on Saturday.

Also out of the clash for the Crusaders is All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock who has a high-grade medial ankle ligament tear and will be out of rugby for between six to eight weeks.

Whitelock is expected to have surgery this week on the injury suffered in the Crusaders' 44-28 victory over the Sharks at Twickenham on March 28.

Also injured in the London match was star five-eighth Dan Carter (hamstring) and No.8 Kieran Read (neck) but the pair are progressing well and the Crusaders said both are "possibilities" of playing against the Bulls.

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