Duane Vermeulen has confirmed that 2023 will be his final season, while naming a surprise next move to help him stay in top shape for the World Cup.
Vermeulen finished up with a two-year stint with Ulster, having joined the Belfast-based club from the Vodacom Bulls in 2021.
The veteran No 8 was among the 33 players who took part in a Springbok training camp in Durban last week.
Vermeulen is aiming to make a third World Cup appearance, but faces heavy competition at No 8, with Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith and Evan Roos also pushing for a place in the final cut.
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Turning 37 in July, he would be the oldest player in the squad if selected and he confirmed that he would be making his final bow in France.
“I’m focused on this World Cup. If I play, I’ll give it my everything. If I carry a bag or I’m on the bench, I’ll give it my everything,” Vermeulen said in a United Rugby Championship press release on Wednesday.
“If I’m on the sidelines helping younger players or working like a coach, I’ll give it my everything. I would love to be a part of it and end my career on a proper high.
“Winning the Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle of a player’s career. If I could be part of that again and defend that title with this team, that would be incredible.
“But I’d also like the opportunity to sign off on my own terms. There are a lot of players that don’t get to sign off on their own terms. For me, I’d like to say farewell to the game in my own significant way.
“I want to pay homage to the game which has given me so much in my life, and this would be a good way for me to say thank you to rugby. If I’m not selected, it will be tough.
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“But I know that at the end of this year I’m done, and I’ve got a few months to give it my everything, and I won’t hold back. I’m going to push as hard as I can.
“There is still some fight in me, and I won’t take it easy on the guys challenging in my position.
“And I like to think I’m always learning more and becoming a better player every day. There are always new tricks of the trade that you pick up in your career.
“That’s why I’ve really enjoyed playing rugby abroad, because you pick up on different styles and you can bring it back.
“I truly believe I can still make a difference on and off the field for the Springboks.”
As for his immediate next move, Vermeulen named a surprise destination as he wants to be closer to his family in Cape Town.
“I believe you need to be affiliated with a club to play in the Rugby World Cup, and I’ve asked the Springbok management if I could be affiliated with Durbell, the rugby club that is a block away from my home,” he said.
“I was offered an extension on my contract with Ulster, but I had a good chat with my wife and said I can only play rugby for so long.”
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