Hammer time as Duane Vermeulen returns to Springboks lineup to face All Blacks

Just when the All Blacks thought it couldn’t get any worse … along comes big, bad Duane Vermeulen back into the Springboks pack for the second Rugby Championship test at Ellis Park.

When it’s hammer time, who better to call on than the 36-year-old, 119kg bruiser they call Thor (for obvious reasons) who will form a fearsome loose trio alongside inspirational skipper Siya Kolisi and the gifted Pieter-Steph du Toit.

This is how deep, how confident, and how damn good the world champion South Africans are right now. A week after putting up their best margin over the All Blacks in 94 years, coach Jacques Nienaber has sprung five changes for the Rugby Championships rematch at Ellis Park early Sunday (3.05am kickoff NZT).

And only two of them are forced by injury or suspension.

Undoubtedly the return of 61-cap enforcer Vermeulen at No 8 is the most notable of the change-ups as the Boks look to back up their 26-10 victory at Mbombela Stadium and continue to heap misery on an All Blacks side that has now lost five of its last six, and is riding a three-test losing streak in 2022.

Vermeulen had been a spectator through the international season to date as he continued to build back from knee surgery, but is finally deemed ready, and replaces Jasper Wiese who moves to the bench where once again Nienaber has opted for a 6-2 forwards-backs split.

The other rotational changes see Bongi Mbonambi return at starting hooker after Malcolm Marx was given the honour last week to celebrate his 50th test cap, and Ox Nche replace Trevor Nyakane at loosehead prop.

In the two forced switches, the capable Jesse Kriel slots in for the suspended Kurt-Lee Arendse on the right wing, while Jaden Hendrikse starts at scrumhalf after Faf de Klerk was concussed in the opening minute in Mbombela. Hershel Jantjies covers No 9 off the bench.

Despite the changes it’s another powerful and daunting lineup in which another Bok forward, starting tighthead Frans Malherbe, will celebrate a 50th test cap. The bench shapes as especially powerful, with Marx restored to his impact role and forwards Franco Mostert, Wiese and Kwagga Smith set to wreak their havoc late in the contest.

Nienaber was especially excited about welcoming the powerful Vermeulen back into the fold.

“Duane has a massive presence on the field and there is no bigger game for him to make his comeback from injury than facing the All Blacks,” said the coach. “He is an enforcer on attack and defence and we know he will give everything against a physical All Blacks team desperate to bounce back from a challenging run of results.”

The coach also does not anticipate any issues slotting the experienced Jesse Kriel into a back three operating at peak efficiency.

“Jesse has played over 50 tests, and he has been waiting in the wings for his chance. He’s played wing for us before, so we know what he can bring to the game,” he said.

Despite the ease of their victory last weekend, Nienaber expected a serious response from the wounded All Blacks on the back of their second largest defeat against the Springboks.

“New Zealand are similar to the Springboks in the sense that they do not give up,” said Nienaber. “They fought until the end against us at the Mbombela Stadium last week and we expect nothing less from them on Saturday.

“We know we are in for a massive challenge. Our focus, however, is on improving our game and ensuring that we build on our form from last week.”

The scary thing is this is a lineup well capable of doing just that.

SPRINGBOKS: Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse; Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Hershel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.