Duane: Toulon rumours dismissed

There is no truth in reports that Toulon have won the race for services of in-demand Springbok star Duane Vermeulen.

The latest rumours to emerge from the French and British media claim that the European champions, Toulon, have secured his signature.

French magazine L'Equipe claimed this week the 28-year-old loose forward has "finally accepted the contract proposed by [Toulon owner] Mourad Boudjellal".

However, this has been dismissed as "absolutely not true" by the player's agent, Stephan Weyers.

"First it was Saracens, then Bath and now Toulon," Weyers told rugby365, adding: "Who will it be tomorrow, a Japanese club?"

The rumours linking the 29-times capped Bok to the French club claimed that English Premiership club Bath - who was reportedly prepared to offer him £650,000 (ZAR8,68-million) per season - have pulled out of the race to sign him.

Vermeulen's fellow Bok loose forward Francois Louw was reportedly the driving forced behind Bath's attempts to lure him to England.

It has subsequently been suggested that Vermeulen, who was shortlisted as a World Rugby Player of the Year last year, would link up with the French giants after the World Cup - which takes place in England in September and October.

His contract with Western Province and the Stormers expire on October 31, while his contract with the South African Rugby Union expire on December 31.

Weyers told rugby365 that they - the agent and player - are not allowed to enter into any formal negotiations until the transfer window opens later this year - July 1 for South African teams and September 1 for international outfits.

It does not mean the player is not on the wishlist of numerous cash-flush clubs in Europe.

However, it is premature to claim Toulon have already won the race.

Vermeulen could still be convinced to stay on in South Africa, as he has been earmarked to take over the Bok captaincy from the injured Jean de Villiers - who is in a race against time to be fit or the World Cup after suffering a horrible knee injury in the final match of the Boks' year-end tour, a 6-12 loss to Wales.

He is also being tipped to replace De Villiers as captain of the Stormers for 2015.

Toulon had earlier this year secured the services of veteran All Blacks centre Ma'a Nonu,

Other South Africans on the books of Toulon include Juan Smith, Bakkies Botha, Gerhard Vosloo, Craig Burden, Michael Claassens and Vermeulen's Bok and former Stormers teammate Bryan Habana.

And the list of high-profile imports does not end there - the Armitage brothers Steffon and Delon, Martin Castrogiovanni, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Matthew Giteau, Leigh Halfpenny, Carl Joseph Hayman, Juan Martin Hernández, Chris Masoe, Drew Mitchell, Nicolás Sanchez, Ali Williams and Rudi Wulf.

By Jan de Koning

@rugby365com