Straight Shooter

Duane Vermeulen Upset A Few People Last Year When He Spoke His Mind About The Lack Of Direction And Passion Within His Beloved Springboks Side. Now He’S Back From Injury And Hoping His Actions Will Speak Much Louder Than His Words.

- Jon Cardinelli

Duane Vermeulen speaks reverently about the great Springboks players and teams of yesteryear.

He remembers the side that lifted the World Cup in 2007 and then beat the British & Irish Lions two years later. That team went on to thump the All Blacks three times in a row before claiming the Tri Nations title in 2009. That side was feared and respected for its smash-mouth approach as much as its set-piece and tactical-kicking accuracy.

Inspired by gainline greats like Juan Smith – one of his first mentors at the Cheetahs and now a teammate at French club Toulon – Vermeulen proceeded to enhance South African rugby’s legacy.

Indeed, it was thanks to players like Vermeulen, the team’s defence captain and one of its talismans, that the Boks continued to command fear and respect in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

A combination of factors, including the unavailability of Vermeulen in 15 out of the next 23 tests, led to a steep decline in their performances and results.

Without him, the Boks sustained historic losses to Argentina [home and away], Japan and Italy, and suffered monumental defeats to the All Blacks, England and Wales. As a result, they slipped down to seventh in the World Rugby rankings and lost the respect of the rugby fraternity. Vermeulen missed 10 of the Boks’ 12 tests in 2016. He did not play when the Boks conceded nine tries to the All Blacks at Kings Park or when they turned in tired and largely gutless performances against England, Wales and even Italy on the subsequent tour to the Northern Hemisphere.

Like many other Bok supporters, Vermeulen watched the horror unfold on a TV screen at home. And like so many other rugby fans around the world, he was forced to reach the same conclusion.