Grunt editor, Tank Lanning, has the pleasure of interviewing Stormers and Bok hard man Duane Vermeulen at the Charles Glass Society this evening.
Described as “A big, ball-carrying loose forward in the mould of the great André Venter” on the SARU website, Duane Vermeulen is your ultimate, slightly old school, hard core 8th man or blind side flank.
Born in Nelspruit, he played for the Pumas before really making a name for himself at the Cheetahs in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. After moving to Cape Town, he’s been a constant performer for the Stormers. Missing out on Springbok selection a couple of times earlier in his career, Vermeulen finally made his Test debut last year when Pierre Spies injured his finger.
Not only a strong runner with a pretty useful skillset, he has also shown a propensity for stealing opposition ball on the ground, providing that much cherished turnover ball that allows a team to attack a slightly less structured defence …
In a nutshell, then:
SURNAME: Vermeulen
NAME: Daniel Johannes
NICK NAME: Duane
HEIGHT: 193 cm
WEIGHT: 108 Kg
BIRTH DATE: 03 July 1986
BIRTH PLACE: Nelspruit
MARITIAL STATUS: Married
FAVOURITE FILM: Gladiator
FAVOURITE MUSIC: Anything but classical
FAVOURITE FOOD: Pasta, pizza
PRIMARY SCHOOL: Nelspruit Primary School
HIGH SCHOOL: Nelspruit High School
POSITION: Loose forward
PROVINCE: Pumas (2005-2006), Cheetahs (2007-2008), Western Province (from 2009)
SPRINGBOK NUMBER: 840
TEST DEBUT: 8 September 2012, vs Australia in Perth, aged 26
TEST CAPS: 7
WIN RATIO: 4-3-0
Got a question you are itching to ask the Bok 8th man? Drop it in as a comment below and Tank will put it to him over a cold Castle or three this evening …
Is your wife worried that you might end up with cauliflower ears? Does it irritate you when New Zealanders cheat during a game and get away with it, or is it just part of the game?
Can you remember your 1st rugby game & coach? Against who was it and what position did you play ?
Q 2. Toughest opponent to play against – locally and internationally
do you think you could beat Richie McCaw in an arm wrestle?
What is the worst part about the long flights between RSA and Austalia/NZ?
Hah … Some cool questions (avoiding eye contact with Wade) … Thanks