Duhan van der Merwe lasts just 18 minutes as Edinburgh go 4-from-4 in URC

Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe’s injury misfortune returned as he was forced off just 18 minutes into his comeback for Edinburgh against the Lions at Hive Stadium.

The 31-year-old was declared “fully fit and ready to go” on Thursday after shaking off a recurring ankle problem which has dogged him for the past 18 months.

But after a lively start in driving rain, including one cross-field run when he evaded four would-be tacklers before an attempted offload went to ground, Van der Merwe pulled up in the 18^th minute after an aerial challenge before signalling he would have to come off.

The winger trooped disconsolately up the touchline before making his way to the dressing room for assessment, albeit his latest setback was not related to his ankle.

“Duhan got a laceration to his hand,” said Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt. “I’m not sure what it is, I haven’t been inside to chat to the medics yet. But we’ll find out in due course. I think he came off after a high ball. I’m not sure what could have happened there.”

Van der Merwe had been hoping to prove his fitness and form to give himself a late chance of being included in Scotland’s squad on Monday for their Nations Championship Tests against New Zealand, Australia and Japan next month.

Despite the early loss of their returning winger, the early URC leaders made light of his absence to maintain their winning start with a 31-10 bonus-point win.

Edinburgh scored a superb try within two minutes of Van der Merwe’s exit, releasing Matt Currie down the left flank before the centre fed Hector Patterson and then took the scrum-half’s return pass to put the hosts ahead.

The impressive Patterson had a hand in every try, creating the second with a one-handed pass off the floor to send centre Mosese Tuipulotu barrelling through the remaining cover.

The 21-year-old then scored the third and fourth tries himself to further burnish his growing reputation as a Scotland international in waiting.

His first, in the 50^th minute, capped off a sparkling team try from deep as full-back Piers O’Conor released Geordie Gwynn down the left flank. The wing found replacement Harry Paterson on his inside who in turn sent Patterson scampering over.

Edinburgh’s bonus-point score was all Patterson’s own work, taking a quick tap penalty 25m out, sprinting past a retreating RF Schoeman and then foxing the entire Lions defence to sprint away to the right corner for his fifth try in his ninth senior club game.

Patterson rightly took the player-of-the-match award to cap a week in which he signed a new contract until the end of the 2026-27 season. A Scotland call-up could follow as early as Monday, although Everitt believes he may have to wait a while longer with Ben White, George Horne and Jamie Dobie the established trio in Gregor Townsend’s squad.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “Are they looking there? Is he ready for Test level? Maybe a few more URC games under the belt. He’s just got to keep growing his game, becoming more consistent in what he does. It’s not easy to get into a national team.

“He’s got to understand that but I’m sure he’s opening up a few eyes though with his performances. He got man of the match. He kicked very well from the base of the ruck as well as set-piece.”

Everitt praised Patterson’s quick thinking for his score from a tap penalty which took the game away from the Lions.

“We want to play fast. We spoke about that and we encourage the players to be brave,” he added. “That was probably the turning point in the game. We took the arm wrestle away and put the game in our favour. The forwards got ascendancy as well at the end of the game.

“The Lions had a tough week [after the tragic death of their lock Hyron Andrews the day before last week’s Champions Cup game at La Rochelle]. A lot of emotion over the weekend and obviously putting all that energy into the game. I don’t think they were at their best tonight  but we’ll take the five points and keep working on what we need to do.”

Gwynn put the seal on Edinburgh’s fourth league win out of four by finishing off a flowing move in the left corner for their fifth try to complete a satisfying victory.