Bok legend wants 10 minutes with Henry Pollock
INTERVIEW: Duane Vermeulen reckons he would need just 10 minutes with England’s new rugby sensation, Henry Pollock.
South Africa will host England in the Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on July 4, and the Springbok legend joked that he would consider a brief comeback – purely to “welcome” the 21-year-old properly to South Africa and international rugby.
The clash has already captured global attention, as South Africa sit top of the world rankings and are world champions, while England have had an incredible 2025 season, finishing on a 12-match winning streak.
However, in recent weeks, it has all unravelled for England. They suffered back-to-back defeats to Scotland and Ireland in the Six Nations.
Pollock made his first start during the defeat to Ireland after impressing from the bench in previous matches.
There is no denying Pollock’s star quality. Since bursting onto the scene, he has divided opinion. A gifted athlete with boundless confidence, his celebrations and on-field exuberance have not made him everyone’s cup of tea.
“He [Pollock] has got his following, and he’s got the people that like him, and there’s a hell of a lot of people that obviously dislike him,” Vermeulen told reporters in Cape Town.
“But he has an impact, and he brings excitement to the game.
“It’s going to be interesting when the boys hit the ground in that first Test. I would’ve loved to make a comeback, but only if it’s for 10 minutes,” he added with a smile.
“However, he is fantastic and brings something special to the England team, and he has massive energy.
“That is the nice thing about the youngsters. They bring in a lot of energy and push the more experienced players to stay on top of their game and push themselves. He is a character on and off the field, but when and if he plays, he does his part. I can’t say anything bad about him. He is a good player.”
Recently, former England head coach Eddie Jones compared Pollock to former Springbok loose forward and captain Bob Skinstad, but Vermeulen sees shades of Schalk Burger — particularly the flowing blond hair.
“He is a young kid who obviously has got the opportunity to play.
“If you look back at Schalk Burger when he came onto the scene, with all that long blonde hair, you first saw the hair and then you only saw the tackle.”
Vermeulen is part of SA Rugby’s mobi-coaching unit and helps with the Boks, among other national teams.
The 39-year-old stated that the first year of his transition from player to mentor has not been seamless and that he still finds it a little challenging advising players like Eben Etzebeth.
“A couple of months ago I was almost on the bench [for the match against Wales in Cardiff due to squad injuries], so I don’t know where I am at the moment,” he joked.
“But in all seriousness, the first year was difficult. You go from playing alongside the guys to telling them, ‘Listen, you’ve got to do this.’ That’s not always easy.
“However, a couple of years have gone by, and you start to feel comfortable with them when discussing things like breakdown work or defence. They understand and buy into what you see and how you look at the game.
“It is much easier now than before, and I am truly enjoying it. Hopefully, I can stay on for a couple more years. But it has been fun.”
