Duane Vermeulen
Encyclopedia
Duane Vermeulen is a South African rugby union
player, who represents Western Province
provincially and the Vodacom Stormers
in the Super 14
.
Vermeulen plays as a Number eight but he is equally adept at playing both blindside and openside flanker.
He began his career in the Free State, playing for the Free State Cheetahs
in the Currie Cup
and the Vodacom Cheetahs
in the Super 14. He eventually followed his former coach Rassie Erasmus
and joined the much larger and more competitive Western Province rugby union in 2009 after three seasons with the Free State.
Although putting in some strong displays for the Stormers in the 2010 Super 14 season, where the Stormers made it all the way to the final, and looking like being a certain selection for the Springboks
, Vermeulen was not called into the Springbok squad that faced Wales
, Italy
and France
. He was also omitted from the Springboks 2010 Tri Nations Series
squad.
Although still awaiting his first full international cap, he has represented South Africa at the second level of international rugby, appearing for the Emerging Springboks
. The highlight of his appearances for the Emerging Boks was being a part of the squad that performed well against the British and Irish Lions
, holding them to a 13–13 draw during their tour to South Africa in 2009
.
After a stand out Currie Cup domestic Rugby Season, Vermeulen was named as part of the 39 man preliminary training squad ahead of the 2010 end of year grand slam tour to the Northern hemisphere. He was once again overlooked for selection in the final squad however he has put in another quality Super 15 appearance and could not be ignored for Pieter De Villiers' 51 man Springbok training squad ahead of the World Cup in 2011.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, who represents Western Province
Western Province (rugby team)
DHL Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions and has the most supporters of any Currie Cup team...
provincially and the Vodacom Stormers
Stormers
The Stormers, for sponsorship reasons referred to as DHL Stormers, are a South African rugby union team based in Cape Town competing in the Super Rugby competition . Despite their lack of silverware over the years, their home stadium, Newlands, typically draws the highest average attendance figures...
in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
.
Vermeulen plays as a Number eight but he is equally adept at playing both blindside and openside flanker.
He began his career in the Free State, playing for the Free State Cheetahs
Free State Cheetahs
The Free State Cheetahs , currently named the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, for sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are governed by the Free State Rugby Union and are based at the 37,076-capacity Vodacom Park in...
in the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
and the Vodacom Cheetahs
Central Cheetahs
The Central Cheetahs, known for sponsorship reasons as the Toyota Cheetahs, is a South African rugby union team that entered the Super Rugby competition in 2006. The franchise area encompasses the Free State and Northern Cape. In terms of Currie Cup unions, the Cheetahs draw from Free State...
in the Super 14. He eventually followed his former coach Rassie Erasmus
Rassie Erasmus
Rassie Erasmus is the current coach of the Stormers rugby franchise in South Africa. Erasmus played mainly as a flanker for the Springboks at international level, for the Free State Cheetahs and the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup, and for the Cats in the Super 12...
and joined the much larger and more competitive Western Province rugby union in 2009 after three seasons with the Free State.
Although putting in some strong displays for the Stormers in the 2010 Super 14 season, where the Stormers made it all the way to the final, and looking like being a certain selection for the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, Vermeulen was not called into the Springbok squad that faced Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
and France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. He was also omitted from the Springboks 2010 Tri Nations Series
2010 Tri Nations Series
The 2010 Tri Nations Series is the fifteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks...
squad.
Although still awaiting his first full international cap, he has represented South Africa at the second level of international rugby, appearing for the Emerging Springboks
Emerging Springboks
The Emerging Springboks are the second national rugby union team in South africa after the national side. They compete every year in the Nations Cup alongside the full national teams of Namibia, Romania and Georgia as well as Argentina Jaguars and Italy A. Now and again they also play touring sides...
. The highlight of his appearances for the Emerging Boks was being a part of the squad that performed well against the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
, holding them to a 13–13 draw during their tour to South Africa in 2009
2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
The 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
.
After a stand out Currie Cup domestic Rugby Season, Vermeulen was named as part of the 39 man preliminary training squad ahead of the 2010 end of year grand slam tour to the Northern hemisphere. He was once again overlooked for selection in the final squad however he has put in another quality Super 15 appearance and could not be ignored for Pieter De Villiers' 51 man Springbok training squad ahead of the World Cup in 2011.