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Duane Vermeulen
Full names: Daniel Johannes
Date of birth: 3 Jul 1986
Place of birth: Nelspruit
School: Nelspruit
Springbok no: 840
Debut test province: Western Province
Physical: 1.93m, 108kg
Current age: 37
Test summary: Tests: 76 Tries: 3
First Test: 8 Sep 2012 Age:26 Eighthman against Australia at Subiaco Oval, Perth
Last Test: 28 Oct 2023 Age:37 Eighthman against New Zealand at Stade de France, Paris
Test history:
Date Age Position Opponent Result Score Venue Prov
08 Sep 2012 26 Eighthman Australia Lose: 19-26 Subiaco Oval, Perth WP
15 Sep 2012 26 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 11-21 Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin WP
29 Sep 2012 26 Eighthman Australia Win: 31-8 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria WP
06 Oct 2012 26 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 16-32 National Stadium, Johannesburg WP
10 Nov 2012 26 Eighthman Ireland Win: 16-12 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin WP
17 Nov 2012 26 Eighthman Scotland Win: 21-10 Murrayfield, Edinburgh WP
24 Nov 2012 26 Eighthman England Win: 16-15 Twickenham, London WP
17 Aug 2013 27 Eighthman Argentina Win: 73-13 1 try National Stadium, Johannesburg WP
24 Aug 2013 27 Eighthman Argentina Win: 22-17 Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza WP
07 Sep 2013 27 Eighthman Australia Win: 38-12 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane WP
14 Sep 2013 27 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 15-29 Eden Park, Auckland WP
28 Sep 2013 27 Eighthman Australia Win: 28-8 Newlands, Cape Town WP
05 Oct 2013 27 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 27-38 Ellispark, Johannesburg WP
09 Nov 2013 27 Eighthman Wales Win: 24-15 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff WP
17 Nov 2013 27 Eighthman Scotland Win: 28-0 Murrayfield, Edinburgh WP
23 Nov 2013 27 Eighthman France Win: 19-10 Stade de France, Paris WP
14 Jun 2014 27 Eighthman Wales Win: 38-16 1 try Kingspark, Durban WP
21 Jun 2014 27 Eighthman Wales Win: 31-30 Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit WP
28 Jun 2014 27 Eighthman Scotland Win: 55-6 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth WP
16 Aug 2014 28 Eighthman Argentina Win: 13-6 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria WP
23 Aug 2014 28 Eighthman Argentina Win: 33-31 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta WP
06 Sep 2014 28 Eighthman Australia Lose: 23-24 Subiaco Oval, Perth WP
13 Sep 2014 28 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 10-14 WestPac Stadium, Wellington WP
27 Sep 2014 28 Eighthman Australia Win: 28-10 Newlands, Cape Town WP
04 Oct 2014 28 Eighthman New Zealand Win: 27-25 Ellispark, Johannesburg WP
08 Nov 2014 28 Eighthman Ireland Lose: 15-29 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin WP
15 Nov 2014 28 Eighthman England Win: 31-28 Twickenham, London WP
22 Nov 2014 28 Eighthman Italy Win: 22-6 Stadio Euganeo, Padua WP
29 Nov 2014 28 Eighthman Wales Lose: 6-12 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff WP
26 Sep 2015 29 Eighthman Samoa Win: 46-6 Villa Park, Birmingham WP
03 Oct 2015 29 Eighthman Scotland Win: 34-16 St James Park, Newcastle WP
07 Oct 2015 29 Eighthman USA Win: 64-0 Olympic Stadium, London WP
17 Oct 2015 29 Eighthman Wales Win: 23-19 Twickenham, London WP
24 Oct 2015 29 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 18-20 Twickenham, London WP
30 Oct 2015 29 Eighthman Argentina Win: 24-13 Olympic Stadium, London WP
11 Jun 2016 29 Eighthman Ireland Lose: 20-26 Newlands, Cape Town Toulon
18 Jun 2016 29 Eighthman Ireland Win: 32-26 Ellispark, Johannesburg Toulon
18 Nov 2017 31 Eighthman France Win: 18-17 Stade de France, Paris Toulon
25 Nov 2017 31 Eighthman Italy Win: 35-6 Stadio Euganeo, Padua Toulon
09 Jun 2018 31 Eighthman England Win: 42-39 Ellispark, Johannesburg Toulon
16 Jun 2018 31 Eighthman England Win: 23-12 1 try Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Toulon
23 Jun 2018 31 Eighthman England Lose: 10-25 Newlands, Cape Town Toulon
03 Nov 2018 32 Flank England Lose: 11-12 Twickenham, London Toulon
10 Nov 2018 32 Flank France Win: 29-26 Stade de France, Paris Toulon
17 Nov 2018 32 Eighthman Scotland Win: 26-20 Murrayfield, Edinburgh Toulon
24 Nov 2018 32 Eighthman Wales Lose: 11-20 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Toulon
27 Jul 2019 33 Eighthman (C) New Zealand Draw: 16-16 WestPac Stadium, Wellington Blue Bulls
10 Aug 2019 33 Eighthman (C) Argentina Win: 46-13 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta Blue Bulls
06 Sep 2019 33 Eighthman Japan Win: 41-7 Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Saitama Blue Bulls
21 Sep 2019 33 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 13-23 International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama Blue Bulls
04 Oct 2019 33 Eighthman Italy Win: 49-3 Shizuoka Stadium, Fukuroi Blue Bulls
20 Oct 2019 33 Eighthman Japan Win: 26-3 Tokyo Stadium, Chofu, Tokyo Blue Bulls
27 Oct 2019 33 Eighthman Wales Win: 19-16 International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama Blue Bulls
02 Nov 2019 33 Eighthman England Win: 32-12 International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama Blue Bulls
12 Sep 2021 35 Eighthman Australia Lose: 26-28 Robina Stadium, Gold Coast Blue Bulls
18 Sep 2021 35 Eighthman Australia Lose: 17-30 Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane Blue Bulls
25 Sep 2021 35 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 17-19 North Queensland Stadium, Townsville Blue Bulls
02 Oct 2021 35 Eighthman New Zealand Win: 31-29 Robina Stadium, Gold Coast Blue Bulls
06 Nov 2021 35 Eighthman Wales Win: 23-18 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Blue Bulls
13 Nov 2021 35 Eighthman Scotland Win: 30-15 Murrayfield, Edinburgh Blue Bulls
20 Nov 2021 35 Eighthman England Lose: 26-27 Twickenham, London Blue Bulls
13 Aug 2022 36 Eighthman New Zealand Lose: 23-35 Ellispark, Johannesburg Ulster
27 Aug 2022 36 Eighthman Australia Lose: 17-25 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Ulster
03 Sep 2022 36 Reserve Australia Win: 24-8 Sydney Football Stadium (Aussie stadium), Sydney Ulster
24 Sep 2022 36 Reserve Argentina Win: 38-21 Kingspark, Durban Ulster
08 Jul 2023 37 Eighthman (C) Australia Win: 43-12 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Ulster
15 Jul 2023 37 Reserve New Zealand Lose: 20-35 Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Ulster
29 Jul 2023 37 Eighthman (C) Argentina Win: 22-21 Ellispark, Johannesburg Ulster
19 Aug 2023 37 Reserve Wales Win: 52-16 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Ulster
25 Aug 2023 37 Eighthman New Zealand Win: 35-7 Twickenham, London Ulster
10 Sep 2023 37 Reserve Scotland Win: 18-3 Stade Velodrome, Marseilles Ulster
17 Sep 2023 37 Eighthman Romania Win: 76-0 Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Ulster
01 Oct 2023 37 Flank Tonga Win: 49-18 Stade Velodrome, Marseilles Ulster
15 Oct 2023 37 Eighthman France Win: 29-28 Stade de France, Paris Ulster
21 Oct 2023 37 Eighthman England Win: 16-15 Stade de France, Paris Ulster
28 Oct 2023 37 Eighthman New Zealand Win: 12-11 Stade de France, Paris Ulster
Duane retires
The double World Cup winning Springbok great and a former captain of the national team, Duane Vermeulen, announced his retirement. The 37-year-old Vermeulen’s illustrious Springbok career spanned 76 Tests over 11 seasons and if it wasn’t for injuries, he would probably have racked up a century of appearances in the green and gold. He started 68 of his Tests in the No 8 jersey, played three times at flanker and five times off the bench, scoring three tries for South Africa.
Vermeulen, who hails from Mbombela in Mpumalanga, made his Test debut against Australia in Perth in 2012 and concluded his international journey in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final against New Zealand in Paris.
He also won the SA Rugby Player of the Year Award twice (2014 and ’20), along with an elite club of only five players who have won the award more than once since the advent of professionalism: Schalk Burger (2004, ’11), Bryan Habana (2005, ’07, ’12), Fourie du Preez (2006, ’09), Jean de Villiers (2008, ’13) and Pieter-Steph du Toit (2016, ’18, ’19).
At provincial level, Vermeulen and the late Springbok loose forward Theuns Stofberg are the only players who have won the Currie Cup with three different unions, when he lifted the coveted gold trophy with the Toyota Cheetahs (2007), DHL Western Province (2012) and Vodacom Bulls (2020).
Duane will forever be regarded as one of the real hard men of South African rugby – he was not only a formidable force for the Springboks but also a multifaceted player who consistently delivered his best.
“As someone who preferred to operate away from the limelight, Duane was one of those players who never settled for second best and always gave everything he had to his team.
“He was a leader who captained South Africa in four Tests, but he also retired as the most-capped Springbok No 8 with two Rugby World Cup winners’ medals – a wonderful achievement for a player who will be remembered as a true legend of the sport.”
Vermeulen made his senior provincial debut for the Airlink Pumas in 2005, the year after he matriculated from Hoërskool Nelspruit. Despite being courted by the Bulls, he opted to remain loyal to the Mpumalanga-based union, skipping the junior ranks.
He never represented South Africa at junior level, but made his debut for the Pumas on 5 August 2005 in a Currie Cup clash against the Border Bulldogs, just a month and two days after turning 19.
Vermeulen played for the Pumas in 2005 and 2006 before he was lured to Bloemfontein by SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, who was then still head coach of the Free Staters. He made his Vodacom Super Rugby debut in 2007, two months before he turned 21.
In 2009, he followed Erasmus and Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber to Cape Town, where he played for DHL Western Province and the Stormers. In the same year he got his first taste of international rugby when he was selected for the Emerging Springboks against the touring British & Irish Lions in the Mother City (he also faced the Lions for DHL WP during the same series).
In 2010, he was included in a preliminary Springbok training squad as part of the preparation for the end of year tour, but he only made his Test debut two years later after struggling with injuries, which saw him miss out on possible selection for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Vermeulen also played club rugby abroad, for Toulon in France (2015-2018), the Kubota Spears in Japan (2018-2020) and Ulster in Ireland (2021-2023).
