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South African URC side deny explosive Duhan van der Merwe rumours
By Neil Fissler
The Stormers have denied that they have joined a clutch of Top 14 clubs who are hoping to sign Scotland and Lions ace Duhan van der Merwe when his contract with the Scottish Rugby Union ends next summer.
It would have been a sensational return home for Van der Merwe, 29, who hails from George, Western Cape, but who hasn’t played for a South African team since leaving the Bulls for Montpelier seven years ago.
Van der Merwe, who is set to play against the Springboks for Scotland next weekend, has been speaking to several Top 14 clubs about a potential move across the channel next summer.
A story in Rapport on Sunday morning suggested that the Stormers were looking for outside investment to help finance the signing of Van der Merwe because he isn’t available for the Springboks no central funding is available.
But Stormers CEO Johan le Roux soon shot down the rumours, speaking to News24, saying they were "not in the market” and “rather look within their own region to identify and develop their wings.”
Van der Merwe won't be cheap for any club who wants to sign him, with some sources revealing to RugbyPass that he is asking for between €30,000 and 34,000 (£25,000 and 28,000) a month.
We exclusively broke the news in October that Van der Merwe, who was a try scorer in Scotland’s 57-17 win over Fiji on Saturday night, was a target for Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle next season.
Montpelier also also interested in re-signing Edinburgh’s Van der Merwe, who is locked in a head-to-head duel with Darcy Graham for Scotland’s all-time try-scoring record.
The Stormers are, however, interested in Sharks loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu and Montpellier’s experienced scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, but as things stand, Van der Merwe will be heading to France if he leaves the Scottish capital.
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Latest Comments
You have to have dreams to reach for the stars, but without believing it, it won't ever happen. It's one thing to say things to the media, quite another to believe what you regurgitate just for the journalists and the public. No one is fooled, and it's the one game they knew Wales will get smashed. The Boks won 10 games without being at their best. Even on their baddest day they will smash this Wales team.
I don't really blame the players. I blame the WRU. Their best players is not available due to restrictions, small change as pay and an overly believe in their own power that amounts to nothing. Get rid of them and Gatland, and maybe their will be an upwards curve. They will lose against the Boks, and also all the games in the 6N if they keep the current board. Italy will be able to smash them.
Go to commentsFrance is starting to look like they are finally over their WC headache, although they were lucky that NZ had a very bad game. The Argies as usual is one game good, the next bad. If they can sort that out and be more consistent, they could become contenders for the WC.
NZ, Argentina (if they are more consistent), and now the Wallabies too is in an upward curve (can they be consistent?), as well as Fiji(as inconsistent as Argentina) looks like possible contenders. The Boks will be as usual a huge threat to defend their title. Things are looking up for the South, so the North should rightfully beware of the Southern Hemisphere threat.
With the French looking dangerous, the English with their close runs (mostly a mindset problem) and the Scottish seems to be the NH main contenders. The Irish is good, but not excellent anymore. They are more overbearing and with their glory days mostly gone with old players hanging on by a thread, by 2027 if they don't start adding in the younger players, they won't make it past yet another WC Quarter final. The problem is that their youngsters, while good is nothing special.
That is just 8 teams without the Irish that can become real WC contenders. Lots of hickups to be sorted still for these teams, excluding the Boks to become a threat. Make no mistake, the top Tier is much closer than people realise and the 2027 WC will be a really great WC, possibly the best contended WC ever.
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