Duane Vermeulen has thanked director of rugby Jake White for his faith in him as a leader after being appointed as the Vodacom Bulls’ new captain.

The Bulls on Tuesday confirmed that Vermeulen will succeed Burger Odendaal as captain of their new-look squad, with Gio Aplon and Arno Botha serving as his deputies.

The 34-year-old World Cup winner is no stranger to leadership roles as he captained the Springboks against New Zealand in Wellington last year while he also wore the Stormers armband in 2015.

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‘It is always a privilege to play a game of rugby and it is one I never take for granted,’ Vermeulen said. ‘It’s a massive honour to be appointed captain of this group, especially at this exciting time when so much is expected from us. A huge thank you must go out to Jake and the management team for trusting me with this immense privilege.

‘This year has been a difficult one for many South Africans, but rugby will return and when it does the Bulls will be ready to make you proud,’ Vermeulen added.

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