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Johannesburg - Duane Vermeulen’s early departure for home as per what Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has called a plan hatched long ago will bring Nizaam Carr back into the Cape team’s starting mix for the remaining matches of their Vodacom Super Rugby tour of Australasia.
According to the supersport.com website, the Stormers re-crossed the Tasman Sea at the weekend licking their wounds after a second successive tour defeat, and their third loss in a row. The fact that some refereeing calls were a factor in their 25-20 loss will not have helped matters, and neither would the sight of skipper Vermeulen heading towards the international departures lounge as the rest of the players prepared to travel into Sydney.
Vermeulen is to be rested for the last two weeks of the tour as per the agreement struck between the South African Rugby Union and franchise chief executives. Of course, the rest doesn’t have to happen now as the Springbok No 8 has already had one week of rest and was only due to sit out again four weeks from now, but the Stormers management are obviously being strategic and targeting their run of matches on South African soil as the time when they make their move for the conference title.
