Duan Vermeulen expects Boan Venter's experience to help the Springboks in scrums

Duane Vermeulen, who has deep knowledge of the contenders for the number 8 position in the South African national team (Springboks), commented that Evan Roos only needs some adjustments to reach a high level of play against Scotland in the 2026 international match.

Vermeulen's Comments on Contenders

Vermeulen, speaking to the press on Tuesday, noted that Jasper Wiese is a true pillar of the team, providing the team with a significant advantage when breaking through the attacking line and executing frontal drives. He emphasized that the team aims to give every player a chance to play, and this week gives Evan Roos a chance to demonstrate his value.

According to Vermeulen, judging by Roos's performance for the Stormers, he is a key player, and the hope is that he can take on this role and provide good forward play, similar to what Wiese does. He also noted Roos's immense energy on the field, which the team expects to see in the upcoming match.

Working on Skill Improvement

Duane Vermeulen reported that active work is underway to turn Roos into a more versatile player. Among these efforts is training in soft skills (ball handling) from Tony Brown, who conducts such sessions with all players. This work is aimed at helping athletes in areas where they lack precision and perfection.

Furthermore, Vermeulen added that Roos, who has eight caps for the national team, will adapt over time to the higher intensity of international rugby. He explained that the intensity of test rugby is significantly higher than in the URC or at the club level. Although playing for the Stormers has a looser, 'French' style, a test match requires more structure, which can be challenging when accustomed to playing freely.

Conclusions on Roos's Potential

Vermeulen concluded that ultimately, success depends on the player himself and what he can provide to the team. He highly rated Evan as a fantastic player with a large reserve of energy but stressed that there is a difference between the URC and test rugby, and he hopes Roos can meet expectations.

Recollections of the Pollack Match

Earlier, in March, Vermeulen spoke about being willing to step out of retirement to play against Henry Pollack and England. On Tuesday, he brought up the topic again, joking that it wasn't required of him. When asked about his impressions of Pollack, he replied that he was impressed by his teammates, noting that they controlled the game well in the first quarter but made mistakes in the second. However, after the influential players came on, the team brought a lot of energy. Overall, he expressed satisfaction with how the players played and executed the plan, adding that perhaps he only needed a little water.

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