Van der Merwe is the new star in the Springboks squad
Edwill van der Merwe made headlines after his impressive debut for South Africa.
Here are a few things you should know about the wing.
Ten things you should know about Edwill van der Merwe
1. Edwill van der Merwe was born on 12 April 1996 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. He stands at 5ft 11in (1.8m) and weighs 14st 3lbs (90kg).
2. He plays for the Lions and Golden Lions but has previously competed for the Stormers and Western Province.
3. Van der Merwe won his first cap for South Africa in June 2024 against Wales. The Springboks won the game 41-13 and Van der Merwe was named Player of the Match.
4. He said of his first cap: “The way we prepared the last two weeks has given me a lot of confidence in the system, and I could just be myself. There was no real nervousness and I could just go out there and be Edwill.
“The guys around me – Jesse [Kriel], Mapimps [Makazole Mapimpi] – gave me a lot of confidence. They were always chatting to me and it made my job a lot easier. It was a memorable first start for South Africa, and hopefully not the last.”
5. South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus said of the player: “Edwill definitely looked very comfortable. He’s 28. He maybe slotted in a little bit easier than some of the other guys. I think he deserves everything that comes his way now.”
6. Van der Merwe was a ball boy during the 2012 World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
7. He is raising money for a children’s charity in Cape Town and has a fundraiser in his Instagram bio.
8. He married his long-time partner Nadine in December 2023.
9. Van der Merwe likes to quad bike.
10. He studied sport science at Stellenbosch University.
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