Duane Vermeulen. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Duane Vermeulen s much publicised return to the Springbok squad ultimately didn t translate into a last-gasp spot in the deciding Test against the Lions.
Instead, Bok management once again proved that there s a lot more to selection than just pedigree and, possibly, sentiment.
There s still no clarity on how long Pieter-Steph du Toit will be on the sidelines.
Duane Vermeulen s much trumpeted return to the Springbok squad ultimately didn t translate into a spot in the match squad for Saturday s third and decisive Test against the British & Irish Lions in Cape Town.
The 35-year-old stalwart raised hopes of a remarkable recovery from an ankle injury sustained late in the Bulls Rainbow Cup campaign when he joined up last weekend, but, while he is in the return-to-play phase of his comeback, the time-frame simply proved too tight.
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