Duane Vermeulen leaving Ulster… Could he retire or return to SA?

On Thursday, Ulster Rugby confirmed that they would be bidding a fond farewell to Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen, as he departs the United Rugby Championship club at the end of the season.

Vermeulen, who joined Ulster from the Bulls in 2021, has been a key player for the team, leaving a lasting impact both on and off the field.

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The powerful eighthman has not indicated where his next destination is, and it can’t be forgotten that he will turn 37 years old in July. He could well be planning to retire after the World Cup, with the hopes of another Springboks triumph certainly holding the promise for the perfect farewell.

However, the veteran could also consider one final swansong in South Africa. He previously played for the likes of the Cheetahs, Stormers and Bulls in SA, and there is no doubt that various South African teams would be happy to welcome him back.

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Ulster shared the following farewell message to Vermeulen

World Cup-winning Springbok, Duane Vermeulen, surprised many in the rugby world when he joined the province from the Bulls in 2021. During his time at Ulster, Vermeulen has quickly become a fan favourite, with his all-action performances becoming a regular highlight at Kingspan Stadium.

Duane captained Ulster to important wins away against South African opposition earlier this season, a country where he is held in high esteem after an outstanding international career. Vermeulen has 63 caps for his country, including a Player of the Match performance in the 2019 World Cup Final against England.

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The big No 8 missed the Boks’ end-of-year tour in 2022

Vermeulen endured a couple of injury setbacks last year, and at the age of 36, some onlookers might have thought his omission for the end-of-year tour was an indication that perhaps the Boks were looking elsewhere.

However, it was clearly explained that Vermeulen is simply being rested and his game-time carefully managed considering that they know exactly what they have in him.

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He is still very much part of the planning for the 2023 World Cup.

“We had a plan during the Rugby Championship in terms of what we wanted to achieve,” Nienaber before the Springboks’ final set of fixtures in 2022. “Some guys are getting a little older in the legs, but can still definitely reach the World Cup.

“A guy like Duane doesn’t meed more experience, and now this tour is a perfect opportunity to test out some younger guys. Duane is being managed very well at Ulster, and we don’t think he needs more experience, so wanted to include a few others who are pushing really hard in the loose forward department.