Duane Vermeulen is relishing the opportunity to prepare the world champion Springboks for their opening match of the 2024 Rugby Championship against the Wallabies in Brisbane next week.

The Boks begin action against the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday before travelling to Perth a week later for their second encounter against the Wallabies at Optus Stadium.

Vermeulen, one of Bok rugby’s legendary hard men, played the last of his 76 Test matches in the 2023 World Cup final in France before taking up a post in South African Rugby’s coaching structure this year.

The two-time world champion provided the Boks with an assist in July’s Republic series, which included two Tests against Ireland and one against Portugal, and is currently in Australia for what is expected to be an exciting Rugby Championship with Rassie Erasmus’ students.

“At first, I didn’t really know where I was going to fit in because I was only a player last year and now I’m obviously more on the management side of things,” he said. “Having played with a lot of the guys before, it really helps you get to know them well, which makes the transition into a role like this a smoother one.

“But it’s been great working with the coaches. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m learning a lot because now I can see the other side of things.”

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The former Bok number eight said his focus for the week has now changed: “As a player you have to work hard on the training pitch during the week and then go out on the pitch at the weekend.

“But in this role you see how the coaches approach each game and you see first-hand all the hard work and planning that goes into it, so it’s an exciting challenge and hopefully it will allow me to grow along the way.”

Vermeulen added that the experience he gained during his playing days has been invaluable in helping him serve both coaches and players in the most effective way possible.

“That was probably one of the easiest things because I understand the players and their mentality,” he said. “As a former player, I know what it’s like to constantly try to improve your game, so it’s nice to be a voice among the players and the coaches, especially because some players don’t know how to approach a coach.

“This way I can listen to my players because they communicate with me, but I also work with the coaches in the same way.”

Vermeulen, who was named South African Rugby Player of the Year in 2020 and 2014, is happy to still be able to contribute to the sport: “I’ve been in the professional game for 19 years and I think I started playing rugby when I was three years old, so it’s not just about my love for the game, it’s about everything that comes with it.

“When you’ve been involved in rugby for so long, it’s hard to let go. As a Mobi-Unit coach, it’s nice to be able to share what I’ve learned over the years with the next generation of players.”

The Boks completed their weekly Australian training on Saturday after landing in Australia on Thursday.

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images