Jacques Vermeulen has been ruled ineligible to play for England despite meeting World Rugby’s five-year residency requirement.Jacques

Jacques Vermeulen has been ruled ineligible to play for England despite meeting World Rugby’s five-year residency requirement.Jacques

The 30-year-old flank, who recently signed for Sale Sharks after several standout seasons at Exeter Chiefs, was reportedly on the radar of England coach Steve Borthwick. But Vermeulen’s involvement in the 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship has shut the door on his Test ambitions.

Back then, the Junior Springboks were South Africa’s designated second team. That means Vermeulen’s single appearance at the tournament officially capped him for South Africa, even though he never played Test rugby.

World Rugby’s eligibility rules allow players to switch nations only if they were born in the new country, or have a parent or grandparent who was. Vermeulen doesn’t qualify under those terms.

It’s very frustrating,” Vermeulen told BBC Radio Devon. “I don’t know why they’re stopping it. How can they say that because you played for the U20s when you were 19 or 20, you’re capped for a country?”

Vermeulen, who played a key role in Exeter’s 2019-20 Premiership and Champions Cup double, said he felt bitterly disappointed, especially after completing his five-year residency and beginning the process of acquiring British citizenship.

Adding to his frustration is the perceived inconsistency in how the rules are applied.

“Look how many guys are playing for Scotland who played for the Junior Boks – guys like Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman [both in 2014 when the SA U20s were not SA Rugby’s designated second team],” he said. “I get really angry about it because I’m like, how can you stop a guy after they played 10 years ago for a country?”