Vermeulen says the speed and intensity of Test rugby is greater than that of the URC, and the Stormers have a less-structured approach to the Springboks.
Springbok eighthman Evan Roos will play his ninth Test this weekend. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
Double Springbok World Cup winner Duane Vermeulen says the Springbok coaching staff are working on upskilling Evan Roos to be a quality all-round eighthman.
The former Bok No 8, and current SA Rugby mobi-unit coach, was speaking on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Springboks’ second Nations Championship Test match against Scotland at Loftus on Saturday, following the weekend’s 45-21 victory over England at Ellis Park.
Roos, who was the United Rugby Championship’s top try-scorer with 12 tries in the regular season, earns another rare cap after playing only one Test last year – against Italy.
It will be just his ninth Test after being on the fringes of selection, playing third fiddle to Jasper Wiese and Kwagga Smith despite driving success at the Stormers for years.
In fact, Roos lost out on opportunities for a year after his 2022 Test debut, while Vermeulen was still playing eighthman for the Boks.
‘A lot of energy’
“We want to give every single guy an opportunity to play, and it’s Evan Roos’s opportunity to lift his hand and say ‘listen, I am also here’,” Vermeulen said.
“This is a good game for him to show his worth and the impact he has on the game. He is the big go-to guy for the Stormers. His energy on the pitch is massive. We’d like to see a lot of that.
“He’s a fantastic player with a lot of energy. But there’s a difference between playing URC and Test-match rugby. Hopefully, we can get him there and he will produce the goods we are looking for.
The free-flowing style at the Stormers also worked against Roos as the Bok coaches had to teach him structure.
“With us there is a specific way of playing. With the Stormers there is a little bit more of a French style [flair]. They get away with it.
“It’s nice because it’s open field rugby and they can pass and run off guys.”
‘He’s a quick learner’
Vermeulen said some players who were used to playing freely found it difficult to transition straight into a structured approach.
“That’s the major thing, but he’s a quick learner and I like the way he plays and his intensity. Hopefully, he can showcase that.”
Another eighthman, Cameron Hanekom played just his second Test for the Boks against England. He, however, had to slot in at flanker after Siya Kolisi’s late injury and Pieter-Steph du Toit moved to lock.
Vermeulen said South Africa was blessed with loose forward depth, and he hoped Hanekom would also get another chance.
