Monday Round-Up

Clean sweep for Duane: South African back rower Duane Vermeulen has cleaned up at the annual awards ceremony for South African rugby, earning himself a trio of the most coveted awards on offer. Having established himself as one of Heyneke Meyer’s finest exponents over the course of the last two season, Vermeulen picked up the South African Rugby Union Player of the Year award, following an extensive voting process which involved input from both the country’s rugby media along with the general public via a combination of both online and social media platforms. The no.8, who will captain the Stormers in the forthcoming Super Rugby campaign, also picked up the gongs for the much desired Players’ Player of the Year, alongside the South African Super Rugby Player of the Year. After a stellar season in both the white and blue hoops of the Stormers, along with the green of the Boks, Vermeulen is now a firm fixture in Meyer’s squad heading towards the Rugby World Cup in England later this year. Elsewhere, flyhalf Handre Pollard was named as the South African Young Player of the Year, after a breakthrough season which saw him selected in the 10 jersey for the Springboks, along with representing the Baby Boks during the Junior World Championship in New Zealand. Seabelo Senatla was named as the outstanding Sevens player.

Welcome return for England: According to reports emanating out of English rugby circles, a trio of frontline players are expected to make their return to full training this week, declaring themselves available for selection ahead of this weekend’s clash with Italy. Upfront, second row forward Geoff Parling looks set to be named amongst the match day replacements, having seen both Dave Attwood and George Kruis dominate the more experienced Welsh pair of Wyn-Jones and Ball in Cardiff last Friday. Meanwhile, both Brad Barritt and Kyle Eastmond will have a fight on their hands this week in training to wrestle back the 12 and 13 jerseys from the duo of Luther Burrell and Jonathan Joseph, both of whom went well in a new midfield combination for head coach Stuart Lancaster. With a core group of his injured players now on the mend, Lancaster will no doubt be welcoming the selection headache ahead of the remaining matches of this year’s Six Nations Championship.

Ryan Sheady