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Springboks give mid-camp update on fitness of Vermeulen and Steyn

(Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The Springboks have given an update on Duane Vermeulen and Frans Steyn, the veteran World Cup-winning duo recalled to their Rugby Championship squad last Saturday. Both were big-name omissions when boss Jacques Nienaber last month named his squad to prepare for the Test series versus Wales. 

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There was confusion at the time as to why some players rehabbing injuries were allowed to train with the squad while others – such as Vermeulen and Steyn – were not. With the Springboks now fresh from their 2-1 series win against the Welsh, they have this week assembled an expanded squad of 41 players who are training in Mpumalanga before moving on to Nelspruit on Friday.    

The 36-year-old Vermeulen last played for the Springboks in their defeat last November away to England, a match that was also the last time that Steyn wore the South African colours.

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Both are now back working under Nienaber following respective knee and hamstring problems – but the coach wasn’t hyping up their chances of featuring next week against the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship opener.   

“They must handle this week’s load,” insisted the coach when asked about the pair’s selection odds to take on New Zealand. “We are only on Wednesday and we have still got Friday to come and then next week – and then we must make a decision as coaches. 

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“Duane hasn’t had a rugby session with us as yet, so it would be tough to get him in the mix. He is still busy with his return to play, his rehab protocol. Frans is in training sessions, he is training with us, he had done last week with the Cheetahs – they started their pre-season already so he has got one week under the belt and now this half-week he has done with us rugby-wise, but Duane hasn’t been part of the rugby session yet. 

“That is why I say the key thing for us is to get them in to have a look where they are at, where their conditioning is at, where their rugby skills are at, to put them in our environment and see from a rugby on-field point of view how do they cope.

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“Then we will make an informed decision on selection probably next week when we go into team selection and selection going forward into the Rugby Championship. We will make that at the back end of next week. 

Frans had a hamstring and Duane a clean-out on his knee,” continued Nienaber, drilling down into the specifics. “If you have a squad that is more of a performing older group you have got to manage their load. If players are 22, 23 old they can handle a lot of load and they just recover a little bit quicker. 

“When you are a little bit older then you do have to look after the bodies. For us, having them in the squad, we got them in to have a look at them. They have been busy with rehab and it was let’s have a good look at them under our medical staff and see where they are at and then make a decision after this incoming leg of the Rugby Championship.”

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1 Comment
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Richard 830 days ago

Too many players under 40 in the squad

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RedWarrior 13 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

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LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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