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
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe 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?
8 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 👍
3 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 comments