Vermeulen didn’t expect third World Cup, now Boks’ ‘Thor’ is back for more

You’d think at the ripe old age of 37 there would be little to surprise Duane Vermeulen.

He admits, though, that appearing at a third Rugby World Cup was not something he always considered in the realm of possibility.

Putting the hammer down comes naturally to him, and South Africa’s “Thor” is back for more.

The relentless march of time and ravages of injury in a sport that requires him to push physical frontiers brought him to a point where he thought playing in another World Cup would be a bridge too far.

“No, to be really honest,” said Vermeulen when asked if he thought he'd be part of the Springbok squad that's out to defend a World Cup title. “I think I was probably, just before joining Ulster, in a tough spot. The body was acting up. I thought maybe I should have called it [time] back in 2019.”

Vermeulen said the coaches reassured him that if he stuck around he could still play a role in this squad. In fact, director of rugby Rassie Erasmus intimated earlier this year that Vermeulen could play a significant role in the Boks’ much-vaunted Bomb Squad.

Vermeulen, however, has played a leading role in the Boks’ build-up to the World Cup. He captained the team against Australia at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and has looked every bit the force of nature he was in Japan four years ago.

He said his stint at Ulster helped give him a new lease on life.

“I think my time at Ulster was really good. They managed me well on and off the field. Training-wise it was nice. I had time to readjust ... to get the body to where it can be. 

“Since playing my first game this year for the Boks, I actually really enjoyed it. If you think about it, I probably won't push to 2027 — but you never know,” Vermeulen joked.

“It's probably that last bit of energy that is in you and you know you want to push because you want to finish on a high, and that is where I think I am at the moment.”

Explaining the renewed spring in his step, Vermeulen said: “I think mobility is probably the biggest thing. When you get older, it is more difficult to bend and move. You see the young guys coming through, they are flexible, they are mobile and they can move. And you think and you see yourself in the reviews and you think, 'Hell, I need to move, but I can't get there’.

“We've worked on that. I think I'm probably more flexible than some of the younger boys. It is a good position to be in. Just the mental space.”

Vermeulen has done many remarkable things, but stopping Father Time in his tracks has to rank right up there.