Duane Vermeulen

Duane Vermeulen

Springbok No 8 and South Africa’s Rugby Player of the Year in 2014, Duane Vermeulen, is in a race against time to be fit for the Rugby World Cup following a diagnosis that he will require surgery on a neck injury.

The 29-year-old Vermeulen, who was also the SARPA Players’ Player of the Year and the Vodacom Super Rugby Player of the Year in 2014, consulted a specialist in Durban on the recommendation of the Springbok medical team.

The need for surgery was identified to give him the best possible chance to recover in time for the global rugby showpiece in England in September and October. The operation is scheduled for Wednesday.

“This is a huge setback for us, but as with any injury in the game it’s something that we simply have to overcome,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer on Monday.

“Duane is world-class, which was underlined last year when he was named the SA Rugby Player of the Year and nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year Award. He is one of the leaders in our squad and since making his debut in 2012, has become an integral member of the team.

“I really feel very sorry for him as he was hoping to have yet another huge season for the Springboks, but we’ve properly discussed the situation with him and our medical team, and the decision was taken to have the surgery now as it will be the best for him in the long run.

“We do have a number of great loose forwards available for selection, but with Willem Alberts also not available, this will be a good test of our depth.”

Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts said: “Player welfare is very important which is why we made the decision for Duane to undergo surgery. It’s the best option for his medium to long term career options.

“Duane will be put on an intensive post-operation rehabilitation programme within the Springbok setup and we will work tirelessly to get him ready for the World Cup.”

29 Responses to Springboks: BIG BLOW as Vermeulen has to get neck operation

  • 1

    WOW!!

    Massive blow for the Bokke!

    Surely Warren Whiteley should now start at No 8.

    If any loose forward now has to be drafted into the Springbok squad, I hope that it is Jaco Kriel… but the likely inclusion, I suppose, would be Nizaam Carr.

  • 2

    Big blow, very likely to be replaced by Carr.

  • 3

    Vermeulen got injured in the first or second bulls game? Wonder where he would be in his recovery if he got the surgery back then?

  • 4

    I obviously dont know when he got the injury, but he took a huge blow in that game, thought his season was over for sure.

  • 5

    Spies? 😀

  • 6

    “Duane will be put on an intensive post-operation rehabilitation programme within the Springbok setup and we will work tirelessly to get him ready for the World Cup.”

    I wouldn’t even bother taking him, by the time of the WC he wouldn’t have played for months and you can’t expect him to use the WC to get match fit

    Rather take fit players like Whiteley and Kriel

  • 7

    He wouldn’t have played for 15 weeks by the time we play Japan

  • 8

    I have said it many times before, all this speculation about who will be in the starting team is just speculation as we have no idea who will be fit and ready.

    i hope he is one of them to be sure but there are no guarantees.

  • 9

    @ Victoriabok:
    Leaving Duane out of the RWC would be one of the biggest shock exclusions of all time if he could be fit by the first or second game.

    Imagine Duane playing for Toulon while the World Cup is still ongoing? It would blow my mind.

  • 10

    MacroPolo wrote:

    @ Victoriabok:
    Leaving Duane out of the RWC would be one of the biggest shock exclusions of all time if he could be fit by the first or second game.

    Imagine Duane playing for Toulon while the World Cup is still ongoing? It would blow my mind.

    Would you rather play an unfit Duane who’ll most likely try to avoid hard contact to protect his neck (and his lucrative Toulon contract)?

    Or play Whiteley who’ll jump at the opportunity and will put his body on the line?

  • 11

    10 @ Victoriabok:
    Yep, the same guy, who less than a year ago, played a MoM performance against the AB’s with broken ribs…..definitely the type of guy who would shy away from doing the hard stuff when wearing a Bok jersey

  • 12

    @ Victoriabok:
    Whitely is going to play, by the looks of things Whitely will play every minute, so that is the 1280 minutes so far this year, 16 full games, in addition he will play for the Springboks as well now… Whitely will also seriously need to be managed now before the RWC as he has been seriously overplayed.

    I think we can call Duane a lot of things being a Stormer, but I highly doubt that he wont be 110% committed when he plays for the Boks.

  • 13

    By the world cup the boks will have one 8th man that comes back from a long term injury and one that has been massively overplayed.

  • 14

    nortie wrote:

    10 @ Victoriabok:
    Yep, the same guy, who less than a year ago, played a MoM performance against the AB’s with broken ribs…..definitely the type of guy who would shy away from doing the hard stuff when wearing a Bok jersey

    Make no mistake I like Duane, but think about it

    He won’t be match fit, he wouldn’t have played for nearly four months
    Even Thormeulen needs to play every now and then

    I know he played hard last year, however that was last year.

    If you had a serious neck injury requiring an operation you will try to protect it and your future playing career

  • 15

    MacroPolo wrote:

    I think we can call Duane a lot of things being a Stormer,

    When it comes to the Boks I want the best player to play

    I have never hated a team or it’s players, and since I’ve been over here I’m even less worried about it. Provincialism doesn’t even feature

  • 16

    MacroPolo wrote:

    but I highly doubt that he wont be 110% committed when he plays for the Boks.

    That might very well be but he wouldn’t have played a minute for four months

    When exactly did he get injured?

    Was it here?

    http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Stormers-calm-fears-over-Duane-20150512

  • 17

    MacroPolo wrote:

    he wont be 110% committed when he plays for the Boks.

    I think Duane in a wheelchair will still be more effective than a 200% fit Spies the Invisible

  • 18

    Naand vrinne, moepels, mopkoppe… en spekuleerders!

    I’ve had a nice day… some new and exciting equipment I’m quoting on and installing!

    Battling with Cell Phone reception in your area for Voice calls or Data (internet)?

    Well, battle no more, GBS now has ALL the solutions… at a cost, of course… hehehe

  • 19

    19 @ Victoriabok:
    Duane without a neck is still many, many times the prospect that Pierre Spies presents!

  • 20

    @ grootblousmile:
    Helloooo!
    Nou wat het van GrootBegrafnisSolutions geword, of het almal klaar gedooi daar rond?

  • 21

    GBS, is die Geldenhuys laaitie wat die naweek in die finaal gespeel het familie van jou?

  • 22

    @ grootblousmile:
    Helloooo!
    Nou wat het van GrootBegrafnisSolutions geword, of het almal klaar gedooi daar rond? @ Victoriabok:
    Nee, hy is PietWitsnor van Bellville se klong, Robzim se tjommie, oud_WP agsteman gewees.
    GBS het nog net een rugbyspelende familielid oor, sy speel flank vir Lawrence Sepaka se Bafanny wereldbekerspan, het met 50-5 teen Georgia verloor, sy het die enigste drie in die toernooi gedruk darem, en is ook die enigste een wat nie oppiepaal teruggekom het nie.So, sy het die familienaam met trots verteenwoordig, sal GBS sekerlik wou toevoeg Wink

  • 23

    @ Pietman:
    Jammer, verwyder duplikasie aan GBS, asseblief iPad

  • 24

    Pietman wrote:

    is ook die enigste een wat nie oppiepaal teruggekom het nie.

    Gewoonlik hou die “sportiewe” meisies meer van “surf” as van “turf”

  • 25

    20 @ Pietman:
    Nee, ek het mos die Begrafnisdinge net so op die side gehardloop, aangesien ek al die geld daarvoor verskaf het… maar het intussen my belang aan my vennoot verkoop… hy moet nog net betaal… hehehe

    Nee jinne, ek kan BAIE dinge doen, maar ek kannie flokken ALLES doen nie… daar is nie genoeg ure in een dag nie!

    21 @ Victoriabok:
    Nee, Ross Geldenhuys is nie familie nie.

    … en Pieta praat kak, daai Bafannie-Bafannie speler is nie familie nie, sy is seker familie van “Jan Hannetjie Geldenhuys” se nasate! “Jan Hannetjie” was met ‘n bruin vrou getroud (Hannetjie), daai tyd al met die Groot Trek…. daai ou se afstammelinge is almal blas met krulhare… die res van die Geldenhuyse is nogal bekend vir reguit hare… hahaha

  • 26

    24 @ Victoriabok:
    Ja, baie van hulle praat ernstig “Lippetaal”… hahaha

  • 27

    grootblousmile wrote:

    24 @ Victoriabok:
    Ja, baie van hulle praat ernstig “Lippetaal”… hahaha

    Hulle hou van visvingers

  • 28

    @ grootblousmile:
    Nee, sy speel flank, soos julle almal eens op n tyd…en sy is wel blas, maar met die dieselfde reguit hare as jy, ook so n koper skynseltjie innie kuif, kyk daai spanfoto van Bafanny in Romania, en dan kyk jy jou foto hierbo…

  • 29

    28 @ Pietman:
    Hey, ek hettie ‘n koperskynseltjie in my hare nie… dis blond… hahaha

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