Edwill van der Merwe rolls with the punches after Bok disappointment

Lions speedster and recent Springbok debutant Edwill van der Merwe is very positive for someone who has missed out on a major opportunity due to picking up an ankle injury playing in the Currie Cup last month.

Van Der Merwe was a surprise inclusion in the Springbok squad for their first Test of the season against Wales at Twickenham, and he went on to make his debut, putting in a stunning man-of-the-match performance to announce himself on the international scene in style.

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However, the 28-year-old wing was then injured playing for his franchise, in an attempt to keep match fit, which has now robbed him of making any further appearances for the Boks this season.

It is extremely probable that Van der Merwe would have received another chance to shine after his brilliant debut, possibly against Portugal and even Australia, as other recent Bok fringe players and debutants did.

Picking himself up

But despite missing out on what could have been a golden opportunity for him to secure a more permanent place in the Bok setup, he is confident he will be able to come back stronger than before.

“It is disappointing, but I’ve been disappointed a few times in my life to know how to pick myself up. Obviously, as part of being a professional rugby player, you get setbacks. I think the biggest thing is how you pick yourself back up and go again. So that’s probably the most rewarding part,” explained Van Der Merwe.

“When you work hard with your physio, when you’re not part of a team, it gets quite lonely but I think the most rewarding thing is when you’re back with your teammates, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.

“There’s no set date [on my return]. I have to see the specialist, and then I’ll probably get a bit more clarity, but hopefully in the next few weeks.”

Late bloomer

Van der Merwe has been a bit of a late bloomer on the rugby scene, only establishing himself in the Stormers setup after he finished varsity, before he moved to the Lions and has impressed over the past few years.

Despite his superb performances it didn’t seem like he was on the Bok radar, having not been invited to any of their alignment camps this year, before his inclusion in the squad to play Wales, which came as a huge surprise to him.

“It was an incredibly special moment (to get the call), one I have dreamt about my whole life. I think I’ve seen it so many times in my mind, how it happened. When it actually happened, I couldn’t believe it,” said Van der Merwe.

“I tried phoning my mom but they were busy sleeping. I video-called the next morning, my mom, dad, grandma and wife, and we all had a good cry.

“It was a wonderful experience playing at Twickenham. I’m looking forward to having some more caps. First I have to make myself available to play for my franchise. Hopefully I can get the call again from the Springboks.”