Springboks: Duane Vermeulen ‘learning a lot’ after seeing the ‘other side of things’
Duane Vermeulen during Springboks warm-up before game.
Springboks legend Duane Vermeulen has shone a light on his first post-playing role as SA Rugby Mobi-Unit coach, admitting he is “learning a lot” in the job.
The double Rugby World Cup winner hung up his boots at the end of the tournament in France and has since taken on this new post that covers plenty of teams.
He’s already worked alongside the Springbok, Junior Springbok and Springbok Women’s coaches and is currently with the former for the Rugby Championship.
Good fun
Ahead of the clash with the Wallabies in Brisbane, the 76-Test cap former number eight has spoken about his new responsibilities and how he is enjoying the job.
“At first, I didn’t really know where to fit in because only last year I was a player and now obviously I’m more on the management side of things,” said Vermeulen.
“Having played with most of the guys before, one tends to know them really well, which makes moving into such a role smoother.
“However, working with the coaches has been fantastic. It’s good fun, and I’m learning a lot because now I get to see the other side of things.”
Vermeulen admits to the job being enlightening in that he now sees the differences between life as a rugby player and a coach, adding it’s an “exciting challenge”.
“As a player you must put in the hard yards on the training field during the week and ensure that you pitch up on the weekend. But in this role, you see how the coaches approach every game, and witness first-hand all the hard work and planning that goes into it, so it’s an exciting challenge, and one that I hope will allow me to grow in this path,” he explained.
The former Springbok continued by revealing that he acts as the middle ground between the coaches and players and is enjoying assisting from that position.
“That was probably one of the easiest things because I understand the players and their mindset,” he said. “As a former player I know what it’s like to constantly try to improve your game, so it’s nice to be the voice between the players and coaches, and more so since some players don’t know how to approach a coach.
“This way I can listen to the players because they communicate with me, but it also works vice versa with the coaches.”
In many respects this roving role is the perfect post-retirement position for Vermeulen as he eases through the transition of playing to coaching, he admits.
“I was in the professional game for 19 years and I think I started playing rugby when I was three years old, so it’s not just about my love for the game, but everything that goes with it,” he said.
“When you’ve been in rugby for such a long time, it’s difficult to walk away, and by being a Mobi-Unit coach it’s nice to be able to share the things that I learned over the years with the next generation of players.”
READ MORE: Rugby Championship match officials announced as Luke Pearce referees Wallabies v Springboks opener
