The Lowveld-born Duane Vermeulen will lead the Springboks for the third time in 66 tests at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

He celebrated his 37th birthday yesterday, Monday July 3.

Vermeulen has been selected to captain South Africa against Australia in the opening game of the 2023 Castle Lager Rugby Championship.

The team was announced in Tshwane on Tuesday.

The loose forward earned his debut Springbok cap against Australia in Perth on September 8, 2012.

He has captained his country twice before. On July 27, 2019, he became the 62nd Springbok captain for the Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks in Wellington, New Zealand. In the Boks’ next game, against Argentina in Salta, Argentina, on August 10, 2019, he was also the captain.

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This Laerskool and Hoërskool Nelspruit alumnus has an undefeated record as Bok captain. In 2019, South Africa drew 16-16 with New Zealand and beat Argentina 45-13, with Vermeulen as captain.

Bok coach Jacques Nienaber is confident that Vermeulen is the man to lead South Africa, with Siya Kolisi still recovering from injury.

“Duane has done the job before in 2019, when we were also leading up to the World Cup. We now what we get from him as a captain – very experienced and a calm head,” said Nienaber after the team had been announced.

Another former Lowvelder was also selected for the match against Australia. Vincent Koch, who played for the Pumas from 2013 to 2016, will play his 42nd match for the Springboks off the bench.