1
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle lead race for Duhan van der Merwe
By Neil Fissler
La Rochelle hope to end their search for a new explosive winger by making a move to take Scotland and Lions ace Duhan van der Merwe to the Bay of Biscay next season.
Ronan O’Gara has made no secret of his desire to add more firepower to his squad for next season, and Van der Merwe, who is out of contract next June, has been speaking to several Top 14 clubs about a potential move.
One of the clubs that Van der Merwe, 29, who hails from George, Western Cape, is believed to have spoken to is Montpelier, where he scored three tries in four games during the 2016-2017 season.
His stint at the GGL Stadium was cut short by a recurring hip injury and difficulties adjusting to French culture and language. He then moved to Edinburgh, where his career took off and earned him a Scotland call-up.
The former South Africa under-20 international became eligible for Scotland in 2020 on residency grounds. Since then, he has caused carnage, scoring 28 tries in 41 appearances, making him one of the world's most sought-after wingers.
Van der Merwe, who scored a brace of tries in the opening URC clash of the season against Leinster, is closing in on a century of appearances for Edinburgh after returning to the Scottish capital when Worcester Warriors were liquidated.
A move to the Stade Marcel-Deflandre is by no means clear-cut, with Bayonne and Lyon among the clubs looking for a winger and who are also believed to have had some contact to sound him out about his plans.
When he moved to Sixways, Van der Merwe signed a deal worth £300,000 a season, but he won't come cheap for any club that wants to sign him. Some sources say he is asking for between €30,000 and €34,000 (£25,000 and 28,000) a month.
That could even put him out of range even for the Les Maritimes who are looking to replace injury-hit Springbok international Raymond Rhule when his contract runs out next summer.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
NZ age of dominance is all but over
3
Can New Zealand beat the world's best without Barrett at 10?
4
14 All Blacks released to play quarter-finals
5
Latest Comments
I meant a separate league. When I say "compete", I mean on the player signing/quality front.
You'd hope with their recent success of course that the game itself is growing as a result in France, that their will be a lot more local talent, and that the current talent will need to be pushed out somewhere else. Hopefully another league rather than a 3rd division etc.
Go to commentsAs an outsider (different continent) I appreciate your insight, even if it sounds a "bit" bias.
Still an interesting point of view.....
Wow, some may say you spat the dummy, others will definitely give you a pat on the back.
Either way, that is what it is like, to a more or lesser extent everywhere. In every country, in every region.
Only real ragga passion, or/and extra malt will drive a fanatic supporter to share their Real Feelings. Right or wrong.
Boks Rule. AB's are LEGENDS.
This will never change.
When all were writing of the AB's before the Championship, most supporters in SA were concerned about the outcome of the result.
And rightly so.
As bad as the Boks were in the past, I certainly don't think the AB's will ever reach that low. Believe me, it Pains me to type this.
As for the rest, a sincere thanks for coming along....just kidding.
Raggas is definitely in a strong place in general when the fight for 3rd,4th & 5th place is just so unpredictable.
And yes, I'm taking a purely subjective view on the world rankings. And yes, completely ignoring the "official" world rankings. I'm just aligning my reasoning along the expressions of some x international players, and people who have clarity of thought.
Raggas Rules.
Go to comments