Duhan van der Merwe decides ‘long-term’ future in the wake of mega-money French clubs ‘expressing interest’

Scotland winger Duhan van der Merwe has ended speculation about his future by signing a long-term deal to remain at Edinburgh Rugby beyond this season.

The South African-born, British and Irish Lions winger was linked with a move to SA URC teams as well as French Top 14 clubs but has instead rejected those offers to stay in the Scottish capital.

Other clubs expressed interest

Van der Merwe has signed a multi-year contract that will see him stay with Edinburgh until at least the 2027 Rugby World Cup after reports suggested that La Rochelle, Lyon and Bayonne were all interested in his services as well as the Stormers.

“I’d be lying if I said other clubs didn’t express interest,” Van der Merwe said in a club statement confirming his re-signing.

“But Edinburgh is home for me, and my connection to the club and our supporters were a massive driver in my decision to re-sign.

“I joined Edinburgh as a boy and the club has made me into the player I am today. I’m eager to continue writing my story here. I owe it to the club and the fans to give my all in the years to come.”

Van der Merwe first joined Edinburgh from Montpellier in 2017 and made an immediate impact scoring 10 tries in his debut season with the club.

He quickly became a fan favourite and took his try-scoring exploits onto the international stage when he qualified for Scotland through residency in 2020 scoring on his debut against Georgia.

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Duhan van der Merwe’s try-scoring exploits

Since then, he has become Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer with 30 tries just one head of clubmate Darcy Graham. Van der Merwe returned to Edinburgh after a brief stint with Premiership side Worcester Warriors and is now not only closing in on 100 appearances for the Scottish side but also the club’s all-time try-scoring record.

In his 98 appearances so far, he has scored 45 tries and is on track to beat Tim Visser’s tally of 69 if he continues his current strike rate.

“We are absolutely thrilled to secure Duhan’s long-term future at the club. He is a world-class talent who brings so much to the team,” Edinburgh Rugb head coach Sean Everitt said.

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“His ability to break tackles, score tries and create opportunities for others is invaluable.

“Duhan’s experience will also be vital in mentoring our young back-three players. He’s someone that our academy players look up to and I’ve got no doubt he will be able share the skills and x-factor he has developed over time to those players that will pull on the Edinburgh jersey soon.

He continued: “Retaining a player of Duhan’s calibre is a testament to the club’s ambition as well as the environment we’ve created at Edinburgh Rugby.

“His impact as a player is undeniable and we’re excited to have him continue his journey with us. His commitment to the club is a significant boost for the team and our supporters ahead of a big run of fixtures for the club.”

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