'He had zero stress or anxiety': Former teammate gives the lowdown on Duane
SPOTLIGHT: Duane Vermeulen has once again confirmed his status as one of the best loose forwards in the history of the game.
That was the statement made by his former Ulster teammate Nick Timoney.
Vermeulen won a second World Cup title with the Springboks last weekend with a 12-11 victory over the All Blacks in the Final in Paris.
It was just the latest chapter for the 37-year-old who had a stint in Belfast between 2021 and 2023.
“It seems like 20 minutes ago that Duane walked out the door,” says Timoney, who is also a loose forward.
“On a personal level, seeing Duane win [the World Cup] was pretty cool.
“I consider him a friend, and that he is one of the best loose forwards in the history of rugby is pretty nailed on now.”
Timoney gave some insight into what Vermeulen is like on the field and in training.
“He had an unbelievable nature, in that he was unbelievably laid-back and calm and nothing ever seemed to bother him.
“But he was able to marry that with being incredibly physical and being unbelievably aggressive and never caught wanting in terms of the intensity he played at. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who can combine that same level of those two attributes.
“He had zero stress or anxiety, like nothing ever got him worked up, but he was also never caught being too laid-back when it actually came to being on the pitch.
“It’s not often you meet someone who’s got that nature about them.
“It’s pretty rare in my experience anyway, and that was pretty cool.”
Source: Belfast Telegraph
