Duane Vermeulen coming back to SA

The following from News24:-

"Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen is reportedly set to end his stay at French club Toulon and return to South Africa.

French rugby publication L’Equipe claims that Vermeulen has confirmed that the current European season will be his final one for Toulon.

The report further states that Vermeulen will return to South Africa to play for the Stormers, who he left in 2015.

Vermeulen’s decision is said to be “dictated by his willingness to best prepare for the 2019 World Cup with the Springboks”.

Sport24 reported in December last year that SA Rugby’s new director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, was eager to lure Vermeulen back to South Africa.

The burly No 8 is expected to sign a dual contract with SA Rugby and the Stormers.

Erasmus looks set to take a hands on role with the Springboks this year and Vermeulen would be one of the front-runners to captain the Springboks.

The 31-year-old boasts 39 Test caps, but has only played four times for the Boks over the last two seasons.

Great News. Duane needs to be playing for the Stormers and the Boks and scaring the poor wee abs witless again. R emember what he did to poor bent Read! Hahahahahahaha Bent Read ended up spending most of his time on the wing to avoid confronting Duane!!

His return to South Africa was inevitable ... however that should not guarantee him the 8 jersey.

He hasn't shown any decent form these last few years and besides we have better players in Warren Whiteley, Ruan Ackermann and Dan Du Preez.

I think he'll struggle to find his feet in Super Rugby. Let us see him "scare" the super rugby teams first before we slot him in as Bok 8th man and captain.

I have my doubts.

I don't agree CC. If he can stay injury free and return to fitness, he should recover quite a bit of form. I know that's a big IF, but I live in hope. Vermeulen at his best is World Class. He was the best Bok 8 we had in years. I really hope he can revive his career in CT.

Draad ... aren't you perhaps thinking of the Vermeulen we came to know as "Thor" ... ? That was a potent player and I would welcome him back without a second thought ... however ... from what I've seen of him, the once mighty Thor has regressed to one of the "Powder Puff Girls".

That to my mind doesn't warrant him simply walking in and taking the 8 jersey that now belongs to Warren Whiteley.

He's not the man he was ... years of vacation up north has taken it's toll ... he's going to have to impress at Super Rugby level first before he get's my nod.

Correct CC. He can only be picked if he has proven himself as the best 8. I'm hoping he does just that. He has the ability.  It remains to be seen if he still has the hunger.

Yep, the jersey belongs to Whitely and after that it should go to Du Preez who'll hopefully learn wel l under Whitely.

Duane will have to prove himself at SR level first and if he's outshone by those guys then it's a no brainer.

Huge huge fan of both Du Preez brothers. Excellent temperaments and strong ball carriers who look to off load and run off ball carriers. Marx is the same.

We'll see how Duane does this year but my feeling is that he may be a spent force.

So when is Vermeulen coming back to the Stormers?

Read the following about the issue:-

"There appears to be uncertainly over the exact return date of star Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen to South Africa - and the Stormers in particular.

Earlier in the week it was confirmed by Vermeulen's French Top 14 side Toulon that the 31-year-old would be leaving the club he joined in 2015 in order to return to South Africa to prepare adequately for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Stormers fans were naturally ecstatic at the news, believing the burly loose forward would be a major boost to the 2018 Super Rugby title hopes, but it now appears Vermeulen will play very little - if at all - for the Cape franchise this year.

Vermeulen would miss most of the Super Rugby tournament in any case due to his Toulon commitments with the French Top 14 season ending with their final on June 2.

According to the Netwerk24 website, it appears Vermeulen is likely to accept a short-term contract in Japan where he has been linked with the Kubota Spears club, before making his permanent return to South Africa.

The Kubota Spears are currently coached by former Bulls mentor, Frans Ludeke.

If true, such a contract could put Vermeulen's participation in the three-Test midyear series against England - which start s on June 9 - in doubt, something new SA Rugby head honcho Rassie Erasmus will no doubt be eager to avoid."

I don't like the above - If Vermeulen thinks he would just pay the Stormers an occasional visit to  ensure he gets Springbok selection on a platter he should not be considered - he should   earn his selection on merit.     . 

Another quota story.

Shows why SA can not call overseas players: they get the position because they are not called.

This guy was offered a reduced wage in order to compensate for incoming calls. He turned down the offer as SA rugby produces guns for hire who smell money.

He does not even return to SA but goes to Japan (a quota free rugby nation) in order to fish for money.

Going to be fine when this guy is given a SA shirt after postponing his return as much as possible to collect money. Less and less gold to export in SA, it must be said.

Tour the world hunting for money, make a month return to SA rugby and be given a shirt for a WC.

Of course, this is all because of quotas policy.

"Of course, this is all because of quotas policy."

And Quotas policy is because of bitter, hating idiots like you... people who see sport as a political vehicle for spite and revenge. We don't want it and we certainly don't need it. The new face of Appartheid. 

No. Quota policy is to hide SA rugby's face and keeps it going.

Quota policy is to hide that SA rugby has trained mercenaries who are going to chase the buck all around the world, getting a competitive advantage on local players because they are released from the SA international squad duty and quota policy is there to hide that, among the hundreds of sellswords SA have been training, SA has not trained one single non white player.

Rugby has always been political in SA.

Once again, quota policy is a scheme to keep rugby going, it goes against the necessary termination of rugby in SA.

The quota policy is there to bring comfort to the haters so they are given an easy target to blame their shortcomings.

People who understand and accept that rugby will be and must be terminated in SA do not support the quota policy.Bring in a full white SA player squad, and let rugby exist in SA on merit: 2 out of 3 WCs and 6 out of  7 4Ns. Or rugby is stopped. No more excuses. Only results.