SA’s Vermeulen cleared to play

Loose forward Duane Vermeulen has been given the green light to play for the Springboks against Samoa.

|||

Birmingham - South African loose forward Duane Vermeulen, voted the country's best player last year, has been cleared to play against Samoa in the Rugby World Cup in Birmingham on Saturday, team officials said.

But Willem Alberts, who had to pull out just hours before Saturday's shock 34-32 defeat to Japan in Brighton because of a calf injury, is a doubt and will be assessed again before the team selection is announced on Wednesday.

“He was feeling it a little bit and we didn't want to risk him and potentially rule him out for the whole tournament,” South Africa team doctor Craig Roberts said of Vermeulen on Sunday.

“We made the decision to be a little bit cautious rather than risk him.”

Vermeulen had a neck operation just two months ago after a training round injury.

REUTERS