Scotland's Duhan van Der Merwe scores a try against England two weeks ago. Picture: EPA-EFE/Neil Hall
South-Africa born winger Duhan van der Merwe, who now plays for Scotland, has been compared to the All Blacks great, Jonah Lomu.
Van der Merwe has become a Scottish hero and try machine since making his debut for his adopted country in 2020. He has scored 26 tries in 37 Tests and is one try away from equalling Stuart Hogg’s all-time Scotland Test record.
The 28-year-old who briefly played for the Bulls in his formative years in South Africa, has a great chance to break the record this weekend when Scotland travel to Italy for a Six Nations match.
Van der Merwe goes into the game on the back of scoring a hat-trick in a 30-21 win against England last time out.
Former England flyhalf Toby Flood, who featured at flyhalf in 60 Tests between 2006 and 2014, this week said he saw plenty of the great Lomu in Van der Merwe. The New Zealand great, who took the rugby world by storm during the 1995 World Cup in South Africa and died in 2015, played 73 Tests on the left wing for the All Blacks.
Speaking to Lucky Block, Flood said: “Van der Merwe is brilliant. He is developing into a world class wing. He is huge, quick, incredibly powerful and a real physical specimen. He has that feel for the game too.
“He understands the game and knows where to be at the right time. It shows how he has matured and how his relationship with Finn (Russell) is almost telepathic. That sets him apart now.”
Flood continued, likening the former University of Pretoria winger to Lomu.
“Just like the late Jonah Lomu, he is big, powerful, fast, and almost balletic. The worst people to defend I found were those that were big and could run over you but could also run around you and sidestep you.
“As a defender you would never be quite sure what to do; plant your feet and brace for the impact or they dance around you. If you keep moving they can run over the top of you. He is very destructive.”
This week’s other Six Nations fixtures, England host Ireland on Saturday and on Sunday Wales welcome France.
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