Ulster boss has no doubt that Duane should go to World Cup with Boks

Ulster boss Dan McFarland heaped praise on Duane Vermeulen after the Springbok No 8 led the Irish side to a 31-24 URC victory over the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.

5 talking points | URC Round 6: Colossal Duane, '1 000 IQ try' sink Sharks at Kings Park

Vermeulen was colossal in Ulster's win at Kings Park. Apart from winning two turnovers, the Ulster skipper was potent with ball in hand and on defence.

While addressing reporters after the game, McFarland said there was no question that Vermeulen should go to the World Cup later this year.

Vermeulen did not tour with the Springboks on their end-of-year tour in November, with some suggesting the 2019 World Cup hero’s best days were behind him.

Vermeulen turns 37 in July - two months before the World Cup kicks off - but McFarland believes there's no doubt that he should go to the showpiece in France.

"Can he still go to the World Cup? Of course, he can! We saw today how good he is," McFarland told reporters.

"This is a guy who not long ago made three massive plays against the All Blacks. That is what Duane does - he is the best mauler in the world and, when the team needs an important play to be made, he is the one who will make it happen.

"He might not be the all singing, all dancing, carry the ball 16 times a game player [of his youth] but, man, the influence he has on games is phenomenal.

"We were coming to a part of the world where Duane is very well-known and he probably puts the fear of God into a lot of South Africans, so giving him the opportunity to captain the side made sense. There is also the fact that he is familiar with the Durban conditions and he kept the guys going when it got tough."