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Messam replaces Vermeulen at Toulon

Cape Town - All Black loose forward Liam Messam has been named as Duane Vermeulen’s replacement at French Top 14 club Toulon.

According to the Stuff.co.nz website, Messam has signed a two-year deal with the Top 14 giants.

Messam, who boasts 43 Test caps for New Zealand, will leave the Chiefs at the conclusion of this year’s Super Rugby competition.

Toulon boss Mourad Boudjellal earlier this week confirmed that Vermeulen would leave the club to return to South Africa.

Vermeulen is likely to join his former team, the Stormers.

"Duane is leaving because he wants to prepare for the World Cup (in Japan in 2019) - we had offered him a contract that corresponded to the amount of time he works,” Boudjellal told AFP.

Another All Black loose forward, Jerome Kaino, was tipped to be the man to fill Vermeulen’s shoes, but the French giants have opted for Messam instead.

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