SPRINGBOK RUGBY
Duane Vermeulen likely to play off bench against France
Vermeulen’s unlikely to make the run-on team having missed most Springbok training and will be out of position at blindside flank
Springbok loose forward Duane Vermeulen will only join the squad five days before the opening Test against France because of club commitments‚ which could influence who gets into the run-on Test team. Vermeulen’s club Toulon qualified for the French Top 14 final after beating La Rochelle 18-15 in the semifinal and will now play Clermont in the showpiece next Sunday. That would mean the earliest Vermeulen would return to SA is next Monday evening. Considering he has missed all the Bok training camps‚ will only have three training sessions with the squad and is required to start out of position at blindside flank to accommodate new captain Warren Whiteley‚ Vermeulen is unlikely to make the run-on team. Bok coach Allister Coetzee on Saturday added Sharks flank Jean-Luc du Preez to the Bok squad‚ a sure sign they are planning to play without Vermeulen. The veteran of 37 Tests has never started on the bench. When he has been selected‚ it has always been in the run-on team. With Vermeulen...
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