VERMEULEN BLOW FOR BOKS; Rugby 365

NEWS: NO.8 DUANE VERMEULEN SUFFERED A KNEE INJURY WHILE PLAYING FOR HIS FRENCH CLUB TOULON AND WAS ON SATURDAY WITHDRAWN FROM THE SPRINGBOK SQUAD.

The Springboks face Argentina next week in the first Rugby Championship Test match of the year.

The opening Test of the 2016 campaign takes place next Saturday, August 20, at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga.

Vermeulen underwent a MRI scan on Friday, after playing for his club, and he will in all likelihood undergo surgery next week to repair damages caused by the recurring injury to his right knee.

The Springbok management has confirmed that for now, no replacement will be called up as they feel the squad currently has sufficient cover amongst the loose forwards for the first Test against Argentina.

They will assess the situation thereafter.

Meanwhile, the Springbok squad reassembles Sunday, August 14, in Johannesburg to resume with their preparations for the Pumas encounter.

Their overseas-based players as well as two Springbok Sevens Olympians will join the Bok squad in Johannesburg, from where they will travel to Nelspruit.

 Bad news for the Boks, they needed a fit & ready Vermeulen. Sure there are other options but I am not yet convinced Whiteley is the Bok 8 for the Boks. Maybe he can do the job if he is partnered with the likes Jaco Kriel but they will need at least one big boy in the back row.

A combination of Whiteley and Kriel looks under powered based on the Canes final. Perhaps Whiteley wasn't match fit....perhaps it was just a bad day at the office. But face it, they were dominated. Kriel had a bit of a mare......bullied by Ardie Savea, bumbling into the scrummie to lay on the Canes deciding try. Whiteley never did anything wrong per se, but was almost invisible.
Kriel can be a match winner, but not in combination of other smaller loosies.

Whichever way we go, it's an either or.....I still think Louw is a better test loosie than either of these chaps.  

 Louw is past it and has been for some time now.
He shouldn't be in the mix at all. In fact, he should never have been brought in by Meyer to begin with.
A very poor 6 and an average 7 at best back then ... now he's just an old man who finds himself several meters off the pace ... much like Matfield.
His inclusion is laughable.
Sad about Veremeulen. This could be the end of his test career. 

 Disagree....Louw had a fine RWC semi.

A back row of Kriel, Louw and Vermeulen could be worthwhile- "if" thor is not a spent force.  I suspect Vermeulen has taken too much physicality and is done. 
Or Kriel, Stephanie and Whitey

 It would be a shame if Vermuelen [Thormuelen ?] has seen his career end .