Why Duhan Van der Merwe keeps getting picked for the Lions
For the third and final test with the Springboks, the Lions have largely returned to the backline that started their campaign against Japan back at Murrayfield, with Conor Murray the only change.
In comes Bundee Aki to resume his midfield partnership with Robbie Henshaw, while Liam Williams and Josh Adams return to the back three with Duhan van der Merwe, who retains his place on the left flank.
The South African-born wing has come under heat for retaining his place in the side after a test where he wasn’t heavily involved and received a yellow card for a foot trip on Cheslin Kolbe.
It hasn’t been the test series where Van der Merwe has received quality ball, or even half a chance, to smash through edge defences.
When Anthony Watson linked in from the opposite wing on a rare shift by the Lions with a three-on-one beginning to form a quarter way through the second test, Watson’s wobbly forward pass sailed a metre in front of Hogg and Van der Merwe into touch.
If Henshaw had looked outside when he made the line break on the stroke of halftime in the first test, he might have found Van der Merwe unmarked on the way for a Lions’ test try.
There have been moments, but they just haven’t gone the way of the Scottish international.
Despite his lack of involvement in attack, there is the ground zero level observation that he is simply the tallest guy in the backline – the man is 6’3 and built like a truck.
If the Lions are going to go to the air again, height is an asset to have and Van der Merwe has proven to be vitally important in the kick-chase game for the Lions despite not featuring in attack so far.
It’s not even a question, Van der Merwe has almost single-handedly flipped games for the visitors in the kick-chase game, particularly the first test.
Over the series, when the Lions have kicked a contestable with Van der Merwe as or in the kick-chase unit, the Springboks are 0/11 in the air.
That’s right, a zero per cent success rate when Van der Merwe has competed for the ball. That is simply incredible, and it is forcing the Springboks into huge momentum-swinging mistakes.
The Springboks were 0/6 in the first test and 0/5 in the second. The Lions could do worse than continue to hoist to the sky from the left side of the field as the Springboks haven’t caught a ball under pressure from him.
Against Van der Merwe in the air from Lions’ kicks, Willie le Roux is 0/4, Cheslin Kolbe is 0/3, Handre Pollard is 0/2, Jasper Wiese is 0/1, and Kwagga Smith is 0/1.
It is not easy to bring in the ball when competing with a 6’3 giant. Some of those contests have been in tandem with Robbie Henshaw, who also has been a disruptive force. Many of them have resulted in penalties, scrums and recovered possession for the Lions.
When they have overcooked the kick too far, Van der Merwe has been there to manhandle the catcher after the grab if the run is timed well.
In the first test, he forced two turnovers on Kwagga Smith with tackles in the backfield, a penalty and a knock-on, in the second half momentum swing off Ali Price’s box kicks.
He almost grabbed a runaway try when the ball rebounded off a double aerial challenge on Kolbe into his lap, if not for a touch by Henshaw first.
All the Lions’ success in the air in this series has come down the left hand side where Van der Merwe is chasing, while Anthony Watson on the opposite has had little positive impact. And that is simply why he must be picked in this game plan. It works with him chasing the kicks.
On the right side, the Springboks have caught just about everything against Watson and others chasing. Perhaps the Lions have figured this out, and reinstated Ali Price and his left foot box kick into the starting line-up for the third test.
When Jasper Wiese dropped the ball cold directly from the kick-off, he had one eye fixed on Van der Merwe charging at him as the gunner from the restart. It wasn’t even a contest, just a mental error.
In the second test, all three of the Lions’ back three were unreliable trying to diffuse the Springboks’ own kicks. Williams and Adams have been brought in to shore that up, but Van der Merwe has been too valuable in the chase game to discard.
Catching is one thing, securing the ball next is another. You need big bodies to compete with the likes of the Springbok loose forwards on the floor after a catch and tackle situation.
When Liam Williams takes a high ball and is tackled in the backfield, how will Josh Adams go trying to clean out a Springbok loose forward? Adams is a decent finisher but he is going to have his work cut out for him in the air and on the ground.
The breakdown battles are ruthless, and a powerful guy like Van der Merwe is handy when backs are required to clean or hold the fort.
Two penalties were conceded to the Springboks over the weekend when Stuart Hogg was tackled and Chris Harris and Robbie Henshaw were blown off the ball by Springboks flooding the ruck.
Pollard kicked one goal and fortunately for the Lions missed the other. Van der Merwe offers protection against these types of penalties with the ability to match it against loose forwards at rucks after kicks.
The thinking behind all these selections is surely to triple down on the aerial game, and some of them must be to shore up their aerial defence after the second test.
And Van der Merwe is crucial to that plan, at least when the Lions are hoisting it into the air.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments