Vermeulen's old school values suit Boks
Two months after undergoing neck surgery, the South African player of the year, Vermeulen, is set to play a key role in the Springboks' hope of getting their World Cup campaign back on track.
Bok coach Heyneke Meyer said that if all the squad had the same attitude as the outstanding No.8, then South Africa would not have lost against Japan in their opening match last week.
Meyer has made it clear he wants the Boks to return to their real strengths and order to do that they will need the brute force and go-forward a player like Vermeulen can bring.
The Bok coach hinted that he had fallen into the trap of giving into the clamor for the Springboks to play a more entertaining, expansive game.
"We have played great rugby at times and I know people will not agree [with me], but that is not winning rugby," Meyer said in the build-up to his team's crucial World Cup encounter with Samoa on Saturday,
"We had an 80 percent winning record and we were the only team to have gone unbeaten on two consecutive year-end tours.
"Then we played to our strengths.
"We played like South Africa – we mauled, we drove and we played tactically we well. We also scored a lot of tries [playing like that]."
Meyer has been preaching the 'knock-out game' mentality for weeks before and during the build-up to last week's encounter with japan – which resulted in a shock 32-34 loss – the biggest upset in World Cup histiory.
However, Meyer feels their inability to execute the gameplan is what cost them.
Now they have to return to what they do best, with Vermeulen leading the cgarge.
"What we have seen is that every game is tough, you have to respect your opponents and you have to play to your strengths," the Bok coach said.
"We haven't done that.
"Since we have moved away from the way South Africa play, which is our strengths, we haven't been successful.
"Hopefully on Saturday we will play like we can play."
With the Boks still hurting from their loss to Japan, Meyer said Vermeulen was a shining example to the rest of the squad.
"If everyone had the mental attitude and the desire to play for South Africa that Duane has, we probably wouldn't lose any games," said the Springbok coach.
Meyer said the team management had wanted to use Vermeulen for just 20 minutes on Saturday.
"But he insisted that he wanted to play.
"He said" 'I'm going to play 80 minutes if that's what it's going to take to win'.
"The whole team needs that mentality if we are going to go forward. It's great to have him back."
Surgeons operated on a bulging disc in Vermeulen's neck in early July and it was touch-and-go whether he would be ready for the World Cup.
He will start for the first time in Saturday's game against Samoa at Villa Park in Birmingham.
"It's been an amazing journey from when I injured my neck in June until now," said Vermeulen.
"My goal was always to make it to the World Cup and the doctors told me that I could make it if I worked hard.
"That moment has now arrived and I can't wait to play on Saturday.
"It's been wonderful to be back training again with my teammates, and not run on my own next to the field, but now the next step is to get back into the game," he said.
"It's been tough but I can't wait to get out on the pitch, where I belong.
All I want to do is make the guys around me proud, play to the best of my ability and contribute to a team effort."
