Duane Vermeulen was at his abrasive best in the Springboks' defeat of Wales at Kings Park on Saturday, writes JON CARDINELLI.

Toby Faletau battled to make an impression in this contest. The Wales pack was physically outplayed, and so their hulking No 8 struggled to make inroads into the Bok defence.

Vermeulen had the benefit of a great platform at the scrum and lineout. And when a No 8 like Vermeulen enjoys that sort of launchpad, he can be devastating at the gainline.

Vermeulen was dominant in contact, and ensured that his team gained ground regularly. His try in the first half was just reward for his determination.

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