Veteran Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen is understood to be available to face the All Blacks on Saturday, with Jacques Nienaber left considering his replacements for the injured Kurt-Lee Arendse.

According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, Vermeulen completed full training with the Boks in the build up to Saturday’s Rugby Championship victory over New Zealand in Nelspruit and is in consideration for the rematch at Ellis Park.

The 35-year-old loose forward missed the Wales series in July due to knee surgery but was included in the Bok 42-man squad for the Rugby Championship, along with Frans Steyn.

Steyn, who was seen warming up before kick-off on Saturday, is also reportedly up for selection and offers Nienaber an option in the back three, with Arendse doubtful to face the All Blacks in Joburg.

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Arendse was stretchered off at Mbombela Stadium after being red-carded following a collision with Beauden Barrett on Saturday and, along with scrumhalf Faf de Klerk (concussion), was due to have a medical assessment on Sunday.

Nienaber, though, has suggested utility backs Jesse Kriel and Warrick Gelant are the likely replacements for Arendse.

“We have lost Kurt-Lee… I’m not sure, we’ll see what happens there and have a discussion around that on Sunday evening,” the Bok coach told reporters post-match on Saturday.

“I’ll sit with the selectors but we’ve still got Jesse, who we’ve played there last year and 2018, and has started there against New Zealand. So he’s a guy who can play there for us.

“We’ve got Warrick Gelant who can help us there, there are a couple of options we have available to fulfill that role.”

Nienaber said he was not sure whether De Klerk would be fit for the Joburg Test, but praised Jaden Hendrikse, who replaced the seasoned No 9 on Saturday.

He said: “We’re fortunate that we have quality scrumhalves with players like Faf, Jaden, Cobus Reinach, Herschel Jantjies and Grant Williams. There’s a lot of competition in the squad.

“I thought Jaden stepped up well. We backed Jaden in the last Test match against Wales and he wasn’t nervous at all when he came on.”

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