'That's rugby' - South Africa-born DVDM vows to ignore Springbok taunts
Duhan van der Merwe cheered on the Springboks from an Edinburgh bar as they won the 2019 World Cup final, but the British and Irish Lions wing is expecting only hostility in return on Saturday.
Van der Merwe was born and raised in South Africa and played twice for the Junior Springboks in 2014 but qualified for Scotland on residency grounds having joined Edinburgh three years later.
Warren Gatland has spoken to the powerful Worcester wing about the sledging he can expect from the world champions in the first Test at Cape Town Stadium, but Van der Merwe will ignore attempts to unsettle him.
“In any game you play you’ll always get some verbal abuse, people getting stuck into you. That’s rugby. You’ll always get some words here or there. It’s all part of the game,” he said.
“I’m pretty used to it. I know I’m going to get a few boys holding on to me, pushing me here and there, but I’m just going to avoid it and focus on my game and not get stuck into those kinds of bits.
“If you look into those bits, it will just get to you. I’m not bothered, I will just go out there and do my thing.
“My family and my mates are buzzing for me, but a lot of them are obviously going to support the Springboks. They’ve also said that whenever I get ball in hand they will support me.
“There’s been a couple of jokes here and there saying: ‘Don’t score too many tries against us’. That’s the chat I’ve been having.”
Van der Merwe has been outstanding in attack to the extent he has kept the prolific Josh Adams out of the team, but a question mark hangs over his defence at the highest level.
Any vulnerabilities are sure to be exposed by Cheslin Kolbe, his opposite number who is also one of the sport’s most dangerous players.
“Cheslin is a world-class player. His ability to beat boys one-on-one is amazing. It’s about staying on top of him, not giving him too much time on the ball,” Van der Merwe said.
“I’ve never played against him. He has very good feet, he’s a quick guy and he throws his body around so fair play to him.
“When it’s my turn on the ball and I have my shot at him, he needs to defend against me. It’s not just me defending against him. You have to look at it both ways.
“Warren has just given me freedom to do my own thing and that gives me a lot of confidence. I want to get on the ball and do my thing.
“I’m quite a big winger, but I don’t always look for contact. Sometimes I try and get it out to people. It’s all about mixing it up.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Hopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
1 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
71 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
71 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
71 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
71 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
71 Go to commentsNZ has such a rich history of quality number nines, and woman beaters.
1 Go to commentsThat’s what happens when you are scared of scrums
3 Go to comments