Edwill van der Merwe: ‘The challenge of not only becoming a Springbok but staying here is incredibly difficult’

Ahead of his fourth Test cap for the Springboks, Edwill van der Merwe is embracing the challenge of the Rugby Championship.

The 29-year-old winger made his Test debut in June last year against Wales, scoring in his first appearance as the Springboks surged to a 41-13 victory at Twickenham Stadium.

However, injury stalled his progress and saw him miss the remainder of the international season, but he wasted no time returning to that form in 2025, starting the second Test against Italy and the one-game against Georgia, scoring a brace in both.

Road less travelled

Van der Merwe’s form has been rewarded with a start against the Wallabies at Ellis Park on Saturday, a ground where the speedster’s career took flight after he took the road less travelled to the top.

While many Boks usually end up in a franchise’s youth system after high school and play for the U20s and eventually the senior team, Van der Merwe spent four years playing university rugby.

He detailed his journey ahead of his clash against the Wallabies.

“I always say that I took the scenic route because it took me a long time to get here, but with anything in life, everything happens for a reason,” he explained.

“I’m kind of glad that it took this long, so I don’t take anything for granted. I started in Stellenbosch and played for Maties for four years in the Varsity, and then kind of struggled to break through into the Stormers system.

“Once I finished with Varsity Cup I put a full focus on wanting to play for the Stormers and then COVID hit so I didn’t get the opportunity to really do that, but I got the chance to come to the Lions, something that really excited me for a fresh start and I must say that’s probably been the best move of my career.

“In terms of game time that I got me to develop as a player, and now moving to the Sharks is something new again. That will keep me on my toes, so looking forward to that, and I’m grateful for the journey that I’ve been on.”

Filling Cheslin Kolbe’s void

When naming his team on Monday, Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus revealed that Cheslin Kolbe would not be risked for the clash in Johannesburg despite being medically fit to play.

The experienced winger sustained a knee injury with Erasmus stating that if it were a World Cup final then Kolbe would be playing instead, but stated that he had full belief in Van der Merwe’s ability to fill the void.

Kolbe is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, but his replacement is not feeling any added pressure in taking his place in the starting XV this weekend.

“There isn’t any extra pressure; there’s a certain expectation when you play for the Springboks, and that’s no different for me,” he said.

“I’m just looking to bring Edwill fully and to embrace the challenge of playing on the weekend.”

He added: “The challenge of not only becoming a Springbok but staying here is incredibly difficult.

“Every day when we go onto the field for training, it’s a new challenge and the opportunity to get better. That’s where the focus is for me, whether I play on the weekend or not, I have to attack every session and make sure that I improve.

“So that when the day is finished, I can look back and say: ‘Today I got better’, and that’s where my focus is currently.”

Springboks’ squad depth

The strength in depth that is available to Erasmus and his coaching team means that there is fierce competition for places, but Van der Merwe reaffirms that there is a collaborative approach to make the team and individuals better.

“It’s a very good thing for South African rugby, we’re in a very healthy position and privileged to have this amount of competition in the squad,” he stated.

“The nice thing is that everyone helps everyone to be their best for the Springboks, so for me, I’m learning as much as possible and trying to implement that into my game.”

Van der Merwe stands on the cusp of a Springboks record as a try against the Wallabies will see him become the first South African to score four tries in his first four successive appearances in Green and Gold.

He boasts an incredible strike rate already after scoring five tries in three Test matches, but he is not getting caught up in the hype, stating that the tries are merely bonuses.

“Scoring a try is the bonus, but I’m more focused on my system in the team and making sure I implement that,” he admitted

If he were to score on Saturday, he would become the first player from either a Rugby Championship or Six Nations team to score in their first four Tests since England’s Jamie Blamire in 2021.