Someone made a massive spray-painted sign saying, 'Celtic, we're coming for you - Warrior Nation'. Stuff like that is special
DTH van der Merwe was about to hop on his scooter and zip off to his home just around the corner from Glasgow’s Scotstoun stadium when a frown of alarm spread across his face.
It was five-year-old Nola van der Merwe’s first school sports day this week and her father has just been informed of the British tradition of a “dads’ race” at such gatherings. As an international rugby player – a winger, no less – the Canadian will be the field’s white-hot favourite.
Van der Merwe has a PRO14 final date with the defending champions on Saturday, but he seemed more anxious about the prospect of dashing against a bunch of middle-aged locals than anything Leinster’s James Lowe, Jordan Larmour or Kearney brothers can throw at him on the weekend.
“One, what if I get injured? And two, what if I don’t win?!”
Getting smoked in the dads’ race would be, as they say in Glasgow, a “rid neck”, but family time is precious, and van der Merwe has seen a lot more of Nola and her two younger siblings than anticipated this year.
(Continue reading below…)
These past three months have been hard, among the bleakest and most mentally trying he has faced in a decade as a professional. In February, he was told his season was over. Torn shoulder cartilage. Torn biceps tendon. Oh, and while you’re out, we’ll fix your double hernia. Rugby is a brutal old business.
The physical aches and tedium of rehab he could handle, but the emotional strain? That was grim. His purpose had evaporated overnight. In short, he didn’t know what to do with himself. “I came in to the stadium a few days after my hernia surgery a bit lost, I guess,” he told RugbyPass.
“You’re in a lot of pain at home. The coaches were like, ‘What are you doing? Go home, stay away.’ But it’s just normal to come in to the stadium.”
Dave Rennie, the Glasgow coach, saw van der Merwe listless and flailing and sent him on holiday. Off the family went to Mexico, a fortnight of sun and memory-making where he found salvation in the strength of his wife. Gillian van der Merwe is a colossus of the Warriors social scene as well as a keen 5km runner.
“It’s going to sound a bit cheesy, but I was inspired by my wife and her running,” van der Merwe said. “We got to the hotel and it had awesome gym facilities, and every day we did something in the gym. She would go first for her run, then we would switch. It was a teamwork thing.
“It just switched something in my mind. I was sitting there watching two of our games on my phone and it just gave me the itch of wanting to be back. I started feeling better and stronger and said, ‘Let’s give this a go’.”
He made it back a month ahead of schedule, his return coming in last Friday’s semi-final savaging of Ulster. How wonderful it felt. Van der Merwe knows he is in the autumn of his career. He is 33, this was his fifth shoulder operation, and his next chapter as a firefighter cannot be kept on the back burner forever.
But at Glasgow, he sees a team capable of greatness. Every day he was out, the fear that he would watch the culmination of all its toil from the stands gnawed at him.
“Even with my little break, it was tough at home some days. It takes a toll on the family, and that’s when you know you need to change something,” he said. “Dave gets that, he sees when someone’s going through a tough time and gives them a bit of a break.
View this post on Instagram
My #1 support, and my #1 motivation!!! Thank you @gillianvdm Nola, Lochie and Harlow!
“I’m not going to lie, I don’t have all the answers, I struggle. I’ve got my own demons I had to fight every week when I was injured.
“It did play on my mind, thinking about the potential this team has. It’s an unbelievable feeling to win a trophy, and honestly, it’s more about inspiring the younger people, especially my younger team-mates.
“Some of these guys have played a long time and never won anything. It’s such an amazing feeling and you get addicted to it. The sooner our young squad get that taste, the better it will be for us in the league and the Champions Cup.”
Glasgow’s great PRO12 coronation of 2015 remains the finest hour and the only title in the history of professional club rugby in Scotland. Gregor Townsend was coach and van der Merwe was at its core. He thundered home for the decisive semi-final score against Ulster at a packed and cacophonous Scotstoun. And he blasted on to Leone Nakarawa’s back-hander to run in one of four tries in the Belfast battering of Munster.
Nakarawa was a phenomenon that day, delivering the sort of cosmic rugby only he can. Everything the big Fijian touched turned to gold. Every pass he threw, no matter how mobbed by defenders or how contorted his body, hit its target.
“The comment that sticks out is Gregor telling Leone before the game, ‘This is finals rugby, don’t off-load the ball, just carry hard and forget about the off-loads’. And Leone off-loaded straight away, Rob Harley scored then I scored off his off-loads,” said van der Merwe.
Thanks guys!
Give these guys a follow and help us spread the word of #MentalHealthAwareness! #TacklingTheStigma together! https://t.co/eitjXTesio— DTH van der Merwe (@DTHVDM) March 14, 2019
“We destroyed the inside of the changing room afterwards but then we cleaned it up. We were going to fly home that night but our flight was cancelled. There was some cafe in the airport but it was shut and we had no food, only a few beers left.
“There were some crisps on the outside, so we just took the crisps and left them a tenner behind the counter.
“I remember Dougie Hall sitting with the trophy, Pete Horne playing music on his little ghetto-blaster thing. And then bringing the trophy back to Glasgow the next morning – that was a special time, signing off for Al Kellock, Dougie, guys who had been here a long time. Oh yeah, and I left as well.”
.@scarlets_rugby are surely going to win a @PRO12rugby title now!
? DTH Van Der Merwe scores
? @BBCTwo Wales
? https://t.co/CVV6uHVkbL pic.twitter.com/MJuy383li6
— BBC ScrumV (@BBCScrumV) May 27, 2017
After six years in the city, van der Merwe was ready to chase a fresh stimulus. He joined Scarlets and won a title there too before heading for Newcastle where, for the first time in his career, he wasn’t getting picked and there was nothing he could do about it.
“It was months of playing three games, not getting selected, being told you’re doing everything right but there are guys ahead of you,” he explained. “I was so used to always playing week in, week out, Glasgow, Scarlets, then all of a sudden, I’m not selected. I’m the bin juice guy, the guy holding the pads.
“It’s tough, but it probably grounds you a little bit, makes you see the other important sides of the game, helping the team prepare, and then when you do get the opportunity to move to another club and play, you appreciate how much it means to you to play the game.”
Eight months into this torrid venture came the chance to return to Glasgow, an unexpected homecoming of sorts for the family. Van der Merwe is Warriors’ record try-scorer. His influence in the club’s growth from also-rans to heavyweights has been immense.
“Glasgow is where my career started and it’s probably where my career will end,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in thinking that I had something to do with the growth of Glasgow. Coming from where we were at Firhill, training at Whitecraigs in the mud-pit, to where we are now, the attention to detail we have is amazing.
“We’re getting rewarded with sold-out stadiums, fans pretty much demanding the club and the city council to get us a bigger stadium, because Glasgow Warriors and the community deserve it.
“If you think back to 2009, nobody would recognise any of the players in the street. Not that we’re celebrities now, but people know who we are, and we’re involved in the community in different aspects of the game and in businesses.”
This year, the PRO14 final is at Celtic Park in the city’s notoriously hard east end. The huge emerald bowl has witnessed some of Scottish football’s greatest days. Like much of Glasgow, the round ball is king here, but for one day, rugby will reign. These are the competition’s two premier teams and the backdrop to their contest will be dazzling.
“When it came out that the final was at Celtic Park, that’s been a massive driving force to us performing this season,” added van der Merwe.
“It’s about us enjoying our rugby, having smiles on our faces, celebrating the small victories – scrums, lineouts, turnovers, defence, attack. Keep celebrating those things and that’s how we’re going to do it.
? WATCH | If you're going to the Guinness PRO14 Final at Celtic Park on Saturday here is some important information for you. pic.twitter.com/chzQS94fLj
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) May 23, 2019
“I don’t think (changing style in a final) is a temptation – I just think it’s what happens. People are afraid to make mistakes and they change their game plan, maybe make it more about trying to nullify the opposition and not on what got them there with the 22 games before.
“After the semi-final, if you drove past Victoria Park, someone had made a massive spray-painted sign saying, ‘Celtic, we’re coming for you – Warrior Nation’. Stuff like that, it’s just special.”
Canada is home, but it’s here in Glasgow where the van der Merwes have flourished. Come Saturday night, the hope is for two more trophies to add to the collection. One, a PRO14 winner’s medal. The other? Gold in the dads’ schools race.
WATCH: The behind the scenes RugbyPass documentary on the 2018 Guinness PRO14 final
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments