Edwill van der Merwe provides timely boost to Sharks attack

Springbok and Lions wing Edwill van der Merwe could make all the difference to the Sharks amid their injury woes.

The Sharks unveiled the signing of the 28-year-old speedster this week after the Lions confirmed the week before that Van der Merwe would not renew his contract with the Joburg side.

The wing had been crucial to the Lions attack this season, starting all 13 of the United Rugby Championship (URC) games and three Challenge Cup matches he played.

He’s scored six tries so far this season to bring his total to an impressive 31 tries from 71 matches at the Lions. Before that, he scored seven tries in 13 games at the Stormers.

In his solitary Test match, Van der Merwe also ran in a try for the Springboks against Wales in June last year. He earned Man of the Match that day, marking him as a talent for the national side going forward.

Van der Merwe lifts the Sharks attack

Van der Merwe joins former Lions teammates Jordan Hendrikse, Emmanuel Tshituka and Ruan Dreyer at the Sharks from next season.

Exclusively a winger, he will fill an important position that has seen some chopping and changing this season.

Rising star Ethan Hooker, though more comfortable at centre, had to play on the wing for months while Springbok stalwart André Esterhuizen recovered from his knee surgery in December. He only returned to the starting XV last weekend.

Springbok wing Makazole Mapimpi’s three-game ban, fullback Aphelele Fassi’s recovery from knee and ankle injuries suffered in December (he still hasn’t returned) and fullback Henry Immelman’s latest injury have opened the backline up.

Yaw Penxe, who normally plays at wing, had to slot in at 15 for the two injured fullbacks against Leinster last weekend and looked far from comfortable in defence there.

How the Sharks backline could look

While the Sharks have benefitted from the rise of Hooker and Junior Springbok Player of the Year Jurenzo Julius this season, they still have much to learn on the wings, as head coach John Plumtree has pointed out before.

The dynamism and competition for places Van der Merwe will bring – with him surely starting on the outside wing and Mapimpi on the inside – will be good for the two youngsters plus Penxe as Esterhuizen will also be first choice at centre.

Penxe will not likely get another game at fullback as Jordan Hendrikse has been more than capable when given the chance. When Fassi and Immelman return, Penxe will have to vie with the youngsters for a place on the wing, though Hooker and Julius will contend more for the open midfield slot along with Francois Venter.