Jacques Vermeulen frustrated as England’s hopes were ruled out

Exeter striker Jacques Vermeulen says he is frustrated at not being allowed to play for England.

The 29-year-old South African moved to Exeter six years ago from the Super Rugby side Sharks, helping Chiefs win the Premier League title and the European Double in 2020.

Vermeulen qualifies under the five-year residence rule and is in the process of obtaining British citizenship.

However, his performance at the 2015 World Junior Championships in South Africa excludes him from the competition as the team was named the country’s second team.

Players can only transfer to a new international team if they were born in the country they want to move to, or if their parents or grandparents were born in that country – something that does not apply to Vermeulen.

“It’s very frustrating,” he told BBC Radio Devon.

“I don’t know why they’re stopping this game, because how can they say that when you were 19 or 20, now you’re playing for a country, but you played for the U-20 team.”

Vermeulen says the frustration is even greater when he sees South African players playing for other countries who have the same level of international experience as him.

“I don’t think they can still keep you in this situation because if you leave – look at how many lads are playing in Scotland who have played for the Junior Bocks, like Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman, like there are that many lads.

“I’m very nervous about this because I wonder how you can keep a guy who played for the country 10 years ago.”

On the pitch, Vermeulen says he feels Exeter are recovering after a difficult start to the Premiership season in which they lost all six league games.

They won all three Premiership Rugby Cup matches and faced league leaders Bath on Saturday before traveling to Durban to face their former club Sharks in the European Champions Cup.

“I’m very excited. I played for them for three years and had a wonderful three years with them,” he said.

“My rugby career really started there. I played some of my best rugby for them before I came to Chiefs and it’s really exciting for me to show the boys around.

“All the boys on the team were asking, ‘How’s Durban?’ and I can’t say enough good things about Durban because it’s a beautiful place to go to.”