Two years ago, Stormers prop Ali Vermaak suffered a neck injury that nearly ended his career as a professional rugby player.
But the 31-year-old fought back from that 2019 pre-season injury and will play in his first professional match for Western Province since then when they face the Blue Bulls at Newlands in their Currie Cup opener on Saturday.
Vermaak, who will play off the bench, won’t be the only player that will return from injury in this clash, with Siya Kolisi back to lead the side after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Among the backs, Seabelo Senatla is another star who recovered from a hamstring injury to start his first match post-lockdown.
But it’s Vermaak’s remarkable fightback after doctors had told him that a big knock could leave him paralysed that will inspire his teammates, as they look to bounce back against a Bulls team that beat them 39-6 the last time the two sides met.
Coach John Dobson believes that just like Vermaak’s “namesake” legendary former boxer Muhammad Ali, the prop has no equal when he does what he does best: scrum.
Ahead of the north-south derby, Dobson says: “Alistair Vermaak, I say this with a clear conscience, is one of the most underrated players in South Africa. I’ve been working with him for 10 years and I think he’s unlucky not to have been a Springbok in 2017/ 2018 – around that era.
“He never gets beaten at scrum time, he beats people in scrums.
“He’s incredibly physical – he and [hooker] Bongi [Mbonambi] are an incredible combination…
“This is a big game for us – a north-south derby at Newlands. And we just literally put out the best team we can for the conditions which is Newlands.”
With both teams strong up front, Dobson will be hoping Vermaak and the rest of his bench will have what it takes to land the knockout punch to the Bulls in what is expected to be a tight tussle.
Western Province: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Kwenzo Blose, 19 Neethling Fouche, 20 David Meihuizen, 21 Chris van Zyl, 22 Jaco Coetzee, 23 Marcel Theunissen, 24 Godlen Masimla, 25 Tim Swiel, 26 Ruhan Nel.