We delve into the specifics of double Rugby World Cup winner Duane Vermeulen’s new role in South African rugby.
Although veteran Duane Vermeulen has retired from playing, his impact on SA Rugby is far from over.
WHO IS DUANE VERMEULEN?
Daniel Johannes Vermeulen, famously known as Duane Vermeulen, is a two-time Rugby World Cup champion and one of the greatest Springboks in history.
At 37, he concluded his illustrious career at the 2023 World Cup in France, having enjoyed successful stints with local unions such as the Pumas, Cheetahs, Western Province, the Stormers, and the Bulls.
Vermeulen has also showcased his talent abroad, representing clubs like Toulon in France, Kubota Spears in Japan, and Ulster in Ireland.
His impressive list of achievements includes two World Cup titles, a Rugby Championship trophy, a Currie Cup title, and a Super Rugby Unlocked title. Additionally, he has been honored as SA Rugby Player of the Year twice, Super Rugby Player of the Year twice, and nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year once.
SA RUGBY INTERVENES IN VERMEULEN’S MOVE TO THE STORMERS!
Upon confirming his retirement last November, Vermeulen was set to join the coaching staff of the Stormers under head coach John Dobson. However, SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus had different plans.
Having worked closely with Vermeulen during his playing days, Erasmus saw him as a valuable asset at the national level and offered him a coaching position within SA Rugby.
WHAT DOES HIS NEW NATIONAL COACHING ROLE ENTAIL?
Recently, it was revealed that Vermeulen has been appointed to a roving coaching role within SA Rugby, becoming the third member of a mobile coaching unit alongside existing coaches Franzel September and Bafana Nhleko.
This unique and adaptable position within the Mobi-Unit will see Vermeulen contributing across various national teams, ranging from the junior Springboks to the women’s side. This opportunity not only allows him to gain valuable coaching experience but also sets the stage for potential leadership roles within the Springboks setup in the future.
WHAT IS THE MOBI-UNIT?
The Mobi-Unit is a high-performance consortium of top rugby coaches established by SA Rugby (SARU) in 2012 to support elite teams across all age levels of the sport.
Conceived by Rassie Erasmus during his tenure as SA Rugby’s General Manager of High Performance, the HP Mobi-Unit is a pioneering initiative in South African rugby. It comprises a contracted team of specialist coaches who visit franchises, SA Rugby national teams (men’s, women’s, junior, and age-grade levels across both formats of the game), and even school teams to share advanced rugby knowledge.
