PICTURE | Duane Vermeulen gives thumbs up afer knee surgery

Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen has given a positive update after undergoing knee surgery on Tuesday.

There was confusion over the weekend when the burly No 8, who played for Ulster in their 17-15 URC semi-final defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town, was not included in the 43-man Bok squad.

However, it soon came to light that Vermeulen would undergo a knee procedure as he had endured knee pain for some time.

"Duane is going for a procedure during this week; I think he's got clearance from his club to do his rehabilitation in South Africa. Then he will go through the procedure, through the rehab and once he’s cleared by his club we can pull him into our squad," Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said on Tuesday.

Later in the day, Vermeulen posed on Instagram that the "surgery went well".

"Thanks for all the messages," he added.

With Vermeulen out of next month's three-Test series against Wales, Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw and Jasper Wiese were named as the No 8s in the Bok squad.

Vermeulen's absence also opened the door for in-form Bulls skipper Marcell Coetzee. Coetzee is normally a flank, but can also play eighthman.

The first Test against Wales in scheduled for Pretoria on 2 July, followed by Tests in Bloemfontein (9 July) and Cape Town (16 July).

Springbok squad:

Forwards (25): Thomas du Toit, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Frans Malherbe, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Joseph Dweba, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje, Marvin Orie, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marcell Coetzee, Siya Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, Jasper Wiese, Rynhardt Elstadt, Deon Fourie, Franco MostertBacks (18): Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Herschel Jantjies, Grant Williams, Johan Goosen,