Vermeulen to join South Africa squad ahead of 3rd Lions game
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) - Forward Duane Vermeulen will join the South Africa squad in Cape Town on Sunday and will be assessed through the week to determine his availability for the decisive final game against the British and Irish Lions next Saturday.
The influential No. 8 missed the opening two matches of the series with an ankle injury and has been undergoing rehabilitation following surgery several weeks ago.
The Springbok medical team have declared their satisfaction with Vermeulen´s progress, and should he be declared fit, will provide a further boost to the 2019 world champions after they squared the series 1-1 with an impressive 27-9 win in the second match.
"We will never risk a player who is not 100% fit but he brings experience to the squad and it will be great to have him with us," said Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.
The injury status of another South Africa forward, 2019 international Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit, will be determined on Monday after he was forced off 22 minutes into the second test with a shoulder injury.
Despite suffering that blow, the hosts managed to overcome a challenging first half - they trailed 9-6 at the interval - to score 21 unanswered points in the second 40 minutes and soar to a victory that sets up an epic decider at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
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