Vermeulen Set For Recall

According to reports in South Africa, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has called up no.8 Duane Vermeulen.

Afrikaans newspaper the Rapport confirmed that Vermeulen's Japanese club side, the Kubota Spears, will not refuse a formal request from the SA Rugby Union (SARU) for the club to release Vermeulen for the Test.

Erasmus has asked that Vermeulen joins the Springboks in Wellington, New Zealand, on September 15, ahead of the squad's Test against the All Blacks.

The initial arrangement between Vermeulen and SARU was that he would miss the Rugby Championship because of his contractual obligations to the Spears. However, Erasmus' plans recently changed due to injuries to loose forwards Cyle Brink and Jean-Luc du Preez.

Among the injured, the still recovering or those who need to improve their match readiness are Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Vincent Koch, Lood de Jager, Marcell Coetzee, S’'bu Nkosi and Warrick Gelant.