After making a sensational debut at international level more than a year ago, Springboks speedster Edwill van der Merwe is looking forward to winning his second Test cap against Italy this weekend.

He hit the ground running when South Africa cruised to an emphatic 41-13 victory over Wales at Twickenham last June as he delivered an outstanding all-round performance.

Van der Merwe shone on both sides of the ball with his personal highlights from that Test being a spectacular double try-saving tackle when Wales were on the attack deep inside Springboks territory and a well-taken try late in the second half.

His efforts were rewarded with the official man-of-the-match award after the Test and his future at Test level looked bright.

However, he also sustained a serious shoulder injury, which kept him on the sidelines for a lengthy period. He will finally wear the Boks jersey in the international arena again when he takes to the field on the right wing against the Azzurri at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.

“It’s a privilege being back in the team and to get the opportunity to play,” said Van der Merwe. “My family drove to Gqeberha to support me, and it’s going to be very special to play in front of them.

“It’s exciting, although there are some nerves too, but I’m sure that will calm down as the game approaches.”

The 29-year-old is aware of the significance of the occasion after his lengthy stint on the sidelines and he is determined to make up for lost time.

“It was always my biggest goal to play for the Springboks, and when I earned my first cap, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t just play one game, so it’s great that a year and three months later I’m looking forward to playing another game,” he added.

When asked whether having to compete against international superstars like Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse for a place in the team placed pressure on him, Van der Merwe said it’s an honour to train with them each day.

‘I try to learn as much as I can from them’

“Personally I try to learn as much as I can from them and implement some of those tips and small things into my game,” he said.

Looking forward to the Boks’ clash with the Azzurri, the Sharks-bound flyer revealed that they expect their opponents to come out firing after they gave a good account of themselves, particularly in the second half of their 42-24 defeat in Pretoria last weekend.

“Both teams will look to make a step-up this week, and it’s great to have experienced players like Willie (le Roux) and Makazole (Mapimpi) playing with me in my second Test.

“The nice thing about how this team operates is that last week I was training against the starting team in the role of Italy, which helps a lot. But we still have to stop what they throw at us on the day, so we have a big job ahead this weekend.”