Duane set for captaincy role

Cape Town - Duane Vermeulen will captain the Stormers in this year's Super Rugby competition, Wednesday's Cape Times reports.

While the official appointment of new Stormers captain will only be made on Friday, the newspaper understands that the Springbok No 8 will receive the captain's armband for the upcoming season.

Centre Juan de Jongh, who captained Western Province in their successful 2014 Currie Cup campaign, will be named vice-captain.

A 39-man Stormers squad is currently in Hermanus on a pre-season camp, where Vermeulen will officially be unveiled as new captain at the conclusion of the camp on Friday.

The Stormers are forced to name a new captain as regular skipper Jean de Villiers is sidelined with a severe knee injury.

The Capetonians will play three pre-season friendlies between January 24 and February 7 against SWD, the Cheetahs and the Boland Cavaliers.

They open their 2015 Super Rugby campaign against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday, February 14.

Stormers pre-season squad for Hermanus camp:

Ruan Botha
Manuel Carizza
Nizaam Carr
Demetri Catrakilis
Kurt Coleman
Damian de Allende
Juan de Jongh
Robert du Preez
Ryno Eksteen
Eben Etzebeth
Rynhardt Elstadt
Gerbrandt Grobler
Nic Groom
Huw Jones
Oli Kebble
Steven Kitshoff
Jean Kleyn
Vincent Koch
Cheslin Kolbe
Siya Kolisi
Johnny Kotze
Dillyn Leyds
Wilco Louw
Frans Malherbe
Godlen Masimla
Bongi Mbonambi
Sikhumbuzo Notshe
Scarra Ntubeni
Neil Rautenbach
Michael Rhodes
Louis Schreuder
Jaco Taute
Jurie van Vuuren
Frans van Wyk
Kobus van Wyk
Alistair Vermaak
Duane Vermeulen
EW Viljoen
Michael Willemse