Flying winger brushes off allegiance jibes and cannot wait for Australia after a testing Lions tour in 2021
Duhan van der Merwe does not want to shake hands. It is not that the hulking Scotland winger is being rude – he is polite to a fault – but after a gruelling gym session the British & Irish Lion has blisters as big as golf balls. A fist bump – a touch daunting given the size of his biceps – must suffice.
Van der Merwe’s war wounds are the first indication that public perception about him can be misleading and there are many to follow in the ensuing half-hour. From an impassioned response to accusations he is a “SpringJock”, to discussing why he runs roughshod over England once a year, Van der Merwe is illuminating company.
Written by Gerard Meagher
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/19/duhan-van-der-merwe-interview-lions-argentina-rugby-union under the title “Duhan van der Merwe hits back at ‘SpringJock’ jibes: ‘I know how hard I’ve worked to get here’”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
