Duane Vermeulen, the esteemed South African rugby player, recently spoke about a tense situation with the Springboks coaches that he believed could have jeopardized his chances of competing in the Rugby World Cup. Despite this, the 37-year-old ultimately became a two-time Rugby World Cup champion in 2023 after the Springboks triumphed over the All Blacks with a score of 12-11 to secure their fourth title. Vermeulen played a crucial role in the knockout matches, including participating in 57 minutes of the final.

Following this victory, he retired from professional play and assumed a prominent role within SA Rugby. It is interesting to note that he will now work alongside Rassie Erasmus in a coaching position with all of SA Rugby's national teams. Vermeulen disclosed in the documentary "Chasing the Sun 2" that he had faced a conflict with both Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber in the lead-up to the World Cup squad announcement, causing him to worry about his selection. Despite these concerns, he was ultimately included in the team and contributed to the Springboks' historic back-to-back Rugby World Cup wins.

Vermeulen, although no longer in a playing capacity, may play a significant role as a coach in the future, given his extensive rugby knowledge and expertise, which are valued by Erasmus.