Sharks secure the services of towering 140kg lock prospect

Sebastian Vermeulen has always been hard to miss. Now, one of South African schoolboy rugby’s most recognisable figures is preparing for the next step.

The Rondebosch Boys’ High lock, regarded as South Africa’s tallest schoolboy rugby player, has signed a two-year development contract with the Sharks, according to News24 and Rapport. The 18-year-old will relocate from Cape Town to Durban in January and will be based at the Sharks Academy as part of the club’s high-performance programme.

At 2.06 metres and 140 kilograms, Vermeulen has become one of the most talked-about young players in the country. His size alone has drawn attention, particularly after photos alongside Springbok locks Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman circulated widely, but the Sharks move gives his story a more significant rugby context.

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Vermeulen’s mother, Lindsey, confirmed the agreement this week and said the family carefully considered the move before making a final decision.

“There was a lot for him to process,” she told News24. “He is going away, so he had to think about how he would manage that. We wanted him to make an informed decision instead of a rushed one.

“He’s very excited to be joining a professional club next year. It has been one of his dreams.”

The Sharks Academy set-up will also allow Vermeulen to continue his studies while pursuing rugby, an important part of the decision. Vermeulen has previously said he would like to balance his education with a professional career.

“I would like to study architecture, but would like to take the rugby further,” he told Nova News. “I’m keeping my options open.”

For all the fascination around his frame, Vermeulen is still at the beginning of his development even if he has already garnered Springbok discussion. His route into rugby was not conventional. He only started playing at under-14 level after a friend brought him along to Hamiltons RFC.

“I had a friend who played for Hamilton’s. He decided to bring me along one day, ever since then I have been playing. I started from the bottom, I played U14C at Rondebosch and worked my way up,” he said.

His rise has been shaped by both obvious advantages and less obvious challenges. Vermeulen’s height made him a natural candidate for the second row, but he was not immediately placed there.

“They tried to put me at lock, but I didn’t have enough core strength at the time,” Vermeulen told News24. “I moved to flank, and that’s where it all began. I only started playing lock properly around Grade 9, going into Grade 10.”

Lindsey Vermeulen said his build has not always made his development straightforward.

“He has the height of a lock but the weight of a prop, which makes it difficult for school coaches to know how to develop him properly,” she said.

That is why the Sharks move could be significant. In a professional environment, Vermeulen will have access to a more structured pathway, with specialist coaching and conditioning designed to turn raw physical gifts into rugby-specific performance.

Unsurprisingly Vermeulen has said his size has always attracted attention.

“I’ve always been the biggest person in the school,” he told News24. “I remember in Grade 1, I was already the biggest in the entire school. It was quite an abnormal thing for others to see.”

He has since grown comfortable with standing out, crediting his friends for helping him feel accepted. Rugby, he said, has also given him something deeper than the physical side of the game.

“What I love most about rugby is the brotherhood. The connections you make, both on and off the field, are really special. And, obviously, running into people is fun too.”

Now, the attention follows him to Durban. For Vermeulen, the Sharks deal is not a guarantee of a professional career, it is an opportunity to work alongside some of South Africa’s best talent most notable Etzebeth.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity,” he said. “It’s not every day that you get presented with something of this magnitude, and because of that, I feel I have to give it my all.”