Springboks: Edwill van der Merwe reveals ‘the biggest thing’ which keeps him motivated ahead of potential recall
Springboks winger Edwill van der Merwe.
Springboks flyer Edwill van der Merwe is ready to grab any opportunity he receives in the green and gold jersey during their remaining Autumn Nations Series Tests.
The world champions started their end-of-year campaign with back-to-back victories against Japan and France and will face Italy in Turin on Saturday before taking on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, on November 22 and Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on November 29.
Competition for places tough in Springboks squad
Competition for a spot in the Springboks matchday squad is tough, especially on the wings, where the likes of Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe, and Ethan Hooker have made strong statements out wide this season.
Van der Merwe has scored five tries in his four Test matches for the Boks – with his last appearance made in their shock loss to the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship opener in Johannesburg in August.
The 29-year-old admitted that while it would be an honour to take on the Azzurri on Saturday, he was prepared to wait patiently for his chance to play.
“My theory is that life’s a marathon, not a sprint,” said Van der Merwe, who was rewarded with a brace of tries against Italy in the Boks’ 45-0 triumph during a mid-year international in Gqeberha in July.
“The biggest thing for me is to stay prepared and ready, so whenever the call comes and the opportunity arrives to play, I can grab it with both hands.”
Springboks: Tony Brown hails the impact of world champions’ ‘one-man wrecking machine’
While he will only know on Thursday if he will face Italy, Van der Merwe is expecting a tough duel against the Gonzalo Quesada-coached outfit, who claimed a shock 26-19 victory over the Wallabies in Udine last weekend.
‘We pride ourselves on a physical contest’
“They are big, physical guys, and as South Africans, we pride ourselves on a physical contest,” he said.
“So, we have to be very good on the weekend. They have players who can create moments of magic from the back. So, it will be a good Test.”
Looking ahead to the challenge that awaits the Boks, Van der Merwe highlighted the Azzurri’s breakdown work as a major threat.
“They put a lot of emphasis on slowing down the ball and stealing it, so that will be a key focus area, but we need to be ready for whatever they throw at us,” he said.
Although he has caught the eye with some outstanding performances since making his Test debut against Wales last year, Van der Merwe is humble about his try-scoring track record and credited the Boks’ playmakers for creating opportunities for him.
“Those are the guys that put you into space, and as a winger, that’s what you want,” he explained. “So, hopefully, when the opportunity comes again to play, it will be the same and I can add more tries to my tally.”