I’m sure Duane Vermeulen is pretty chuffed with his big-money move to France after the Rugby World Cup but it seems he may have caught the Stormers unawares.

The Cape Town-based Super Rugby franchise had no idea that Duane had travelled to Toulon for his big unveiling, something that seems to have angered Stormers Director of Rugby Gert Smal. He is quoted here on Sport24:

Smal commented: “We’re obviously not happy with what we’ve seen in the media, with the pictures and press coverage from Toulon. However, we cannot comment on the matter until we have spoken to Duane Vermeulen upon his return from France.

“Our only focus at this stage is on the 23 players that are fit and have thus been selected in the Stormers squad for Saturday’s Super Rugby Qualifier against the Brumbies and to ensure that they remain focused on the task at hand, which is winning and progressing further in the tournament.”

Whilst Duane was set to miss the Stormers clash this Saturday due to a neck injury he may have wanted to let his bosses know he was jetting off for a quick jaunt in France.

Don’t worry big guy, we still love you – who could hate a man with a beard like that?

[source:sport24]