George on Bok ‘freak who’s got everything’

Emphasising his physicality and feel for the game, England skipper Jamie George has hailed a two-time Springbok world champion as the best player he has played against.

Speaking on former England scrumhalf Danny Care’s Hits Different podcast, George singled out Duane Vermeulen for the respect the legendary No 8 has among his peers while praising his “mindblowing” rugby IP.

Nicknamed ‘Thor’ for his likeness to the mythological Norse god, the formidable Vermelen gained a reputation across the globe for his fearless ball carries and rib-tickling tackles.

His illustrious Bok tenure spanned 76 Tests over 11 seasons, lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy for the first time in 2019 after putting in a Man of the Match performance in the final following his tournament bow four years earlier.

Vermeulen brought an end to his playing career in the 2023 showpiece after helping South Africa win back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles.

“It was really cool when I was younger to play against the GOATs. I played against [Brian] O’Driscoll, [Jonny] Wilkinson, all those boys who I would grow up supporting,” George said.

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“But I think the best player I played against was Duane Vermeulen. That guy, honestly, hits different; talk about physicality, he is ridiculous.

“But also his game feel, his understanding… however many kilos he is, he jumps in the lineout – he’s got everything, he genuinely has everything. A bit mindblowing really.”

Vermeulen has made a seamless transition from playing into coaching after joining SARU’s ranks this year. He was officially appointed in a “roving coaching role with all SA Rugby’s national teams”, yet has mostly been with the world champions since the July series against Ireland.

Reminded by Care that Vermeulen is coaching now, George added: “That’s the sign of someone who’s got an unbelievable understanding of the game, and you could see it in the way that he played.

“People would come to him for answers. He’d have all the answers. He wasn’t overly outspoken on the field but he let his rugby do the talking. He’s a freak, man.”