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Scotland international Duhan van der Merwe signs 'no-brainer' deal
Edinburgh Rugby have today announced that Scotland and British & Irish Lions winger Duhan van der Merwe has penned a new deal that will see the powerful star stay in the Scottish capital until “at least June 2025”.
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Now in his second spell at the club, the 28-year-old has extended his contract ahead of this Saturday’s 1872 Cup decider against Glasgow Warriors, which will see a record crowd of over 30,000 descend on Scottish Gas Murrayfield.
Van der Merwe joins fellow winger Darcy Graham, who is also chasing Stuart Hogg’s all-time try-scoring record for Scotland [27], in this week re-signing with Edinburgh Rugby.
On penning a new deal, Van der Merwe said: “Edinburgh is home for me. I love playing my rugby here and it’s where I’m happiest. I’m delighted to have extended terms – I couldn’t imagine playing anywhere else at this point in my career.
“Edinburgh has done so much for me in my career. I’ve always said that I want to repay the faith the club has shown in me over the years, so it was a no-brainer to sign a new deal.”
He continued: “We’ve got a special group here and there is a real feeling of togetherness, with everyone buying into what Sean [Everitt] is trying to build. I’ve really enjoyed his coaching style and man-management so far. Playing under him is great, so long may that continue.”
Joining Edinburgh in the summer of 2017 from Montpellier, Van der Merwe cemented his popularity among the capital faithful with 10 tries in his debut season.
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He then averaged a try every other game for Edinburgh and was named PRO14 Players’ Player of the Season at the end of the 2019/20 campaign.
Qualifying through residency, he made a try-scoring Scotland debut in the home win against Georgia in October 2020.
He then notched up scores in both Florence and Dublin, before scoring the only try of the game in Scotland’s 2021 Calcutta Cup victory against England at Twickenham.
Van der Merwe’s blistering form brought about a 2021 British & Irish Lions call-up, during which he had the distinction of starting in all three Test matches.
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His prolific international form has continued since, entering Scotland’s top 10 all-time list of try-scorers with a brace against England in the famous 2023 Guinness Six Nations win at Twickenham, the first of which – a 50m solo effort – was recently voted World Rugby’s International Men’s Try of the Year.
Van der Merwe has so often saved his best for the biggest stage, including the 1872 Cup derbies where a famous brace of intercepted scores secured a famous intercity win back in December 2018.
Van der Merwe added: “I love the 1872 Cup derbies. They are the games you want to be involved in, going up against your Scotland teammates. I’ve scored some important tries in the fixture, and it will be great to be back at Scottish Gas Murrayfield this weekend, a stadium we obviously know really well for both club and country.
“To hear that over 30,000 fans have already got their tickets for Saturday’s game is honestly amazing. As players, we can’t wait to represent the capital. We know how important this game is for everyone connected to the club and we want to give the supporters something to celebrate as we look to finish 2023 on a high.”
Senior Coach Sean Everitt added: “Duhan is one of world rugby’s brightest talents. He’s a big game player and someone that we’re delighted to see re-sign in Edinburgh.
“When I first spoke to him in the summer, he spoke about his pride in representing Edinburgh and how he wanted to have his biggest season yet for the club.
“I’ve been hugely impressed by his commitment to the jersey. Not just in games, but in training, where he has shown a desire to better himself every day.
“We are definitely now seeing the fruits of his labour, and you only had to see his recent performance against Castres to see how devastating a runner and finisher he can be.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Brett, from my distant perspective, I hope you get to keep the Rebels. Any ideas of teams from Japan or Argentina are just crazy. Won’t happen. If you look at logistics, it is much easier to get to LA from Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney than to Buenos Aires. All with direct non-stop daily flights. You may even get some “gringos” to watch the games, with some younger players compared to Giteau and Nonu who still “play” in the area. I think it is virtually impossible to get a competitive Argie team for SR. All Pumas are in Europe, almost all second tier players are also in Europe. Fringe players are in South American pro rugby tournament (and many still in the MLR!) but these players who might be most interested in joining a new Jaguares do not have the skills to compete. As I have been saying since the Jaguares joined, they should have had TWO teams to make logistics for visiting teams better and Argie player development improved as well. Jaguares/Pumas was not ideal. But this is where Pichot and his cronies did not think long enough. Further the country with he new president “No hay Plata” Milei is in a very difficult situation. Galperin, the richest man in Argentina owns the Miami franchise of MLR. I don’t think you can get him to invest in Argentina. Actually, he played rugby himself. He was a fly half. He is worth around $6 billion!
1 Go to commentsWell done Baby Boks we will take the Draw. No 9 senseless long passes in those conditions. let’s move on and hope for some good weather
4 Go to commentsHow did it end a draw. South Africa didn’t score any points as far as I can see
4 Go to commentsNo doubt this will be a fantastic occasion and I plan to be there, but I think the bean counters have won out over the rugby brains. In my opinion, it is foolhardy to give the Black Ferns the experience of playing in front of 60,000+ at Twickenham a year before they might be playing there in a World Cup Final. Better to play France at Twickenham and Black Ferns at Kingsholm. The difference in takings would be miniscule.
1 Go to commentsDom kant
193 Go to commentsBen is a little incel desperately trying to stir the pot and stay relevant. We used to get mad at his articles. Now we just feel sorry for him
193 Go to commentsPerhaps we may need to put an asterisk on NZ’s ‘87 WC win since the Boks weren’t there. You know, just as a reminder. Poor Ben Smith. Go cry somewhere else.
193 Go to commentsNz should have won. I didn't watch the game, but the ref was at fault and the bounce of the ball and the Bokke used the Bomb squad and the Bokke slow the game down and the Bokke scrum. They should remove the scrum. The Bokke are to strong. Not fair. Nz should have won
3 Go to commentsThanks for a much more balanced piece Ned and not that BS that Bin Smuth just posted a short while ago. read this article and then Bin Smuth’s and tell me there isn’t a huge difference🙄
3 Go to commentsWere the Baby Boks part of this game or did the Baby Blacks play themselves?🤔 That man Bin Smuth once again does a little write-up on the game and it is like 95% about the Baby Blacks🤣 Glad he ends off with the Baby Blacks were actually in cruise control for most of the game and weren’t actually playing for the win WTF🤣🤣 Maybe he was expecting the Baby Blacks to run rampant….
4 Go to commentsOne does not expect anything more from Ben Smith who epitomises the worst of New Zealand media arrogance and an inability to balance what he has to say about any team that beats the All Blacks. His reference to context is pathetically thin. He does not comment that Frizell deserved a red card given his blatant manipulation of his body to ensure that he could drop his body weight onto Mbonambi’s lower leg. No mention of the ball lost forward before the All Black’s try (lost in-field of the 5 metre line and gathered beyond). The All Black commitment and effort was superb and there was little in it. Given the Springbok passage to the final and the loss of their hooker in the first three minutes, their resolve and capacity to win their fourth final out of eight attempts (not three out of ten) deserves the praise that has been forthcoming from media around the world, worth reading and listening to. Ben should join his “pundit” friends on TV - he would fit in well. This sort of article reduces any credibility Rugby Pass has ever had. Why persist with this sort of nonsense? The man does his country and a rugby blog a disservice.
193 Go to commentsEtzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
193 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
156 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
193 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
193 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
193 Go to comments