Duhan van der Merwe has once again made it crystal clear – he’s Scotland through and through.
The powerhouse winger has officially closed the door on ever pulling on the green and gold of his native South Africa, instead doubling down on the deep bond he’s built with his adopted country.
Standing at 6ft 4in and built like he’s been carved out of Rustenburg granite, Van der Merwe is a nightmare for defenders. With his flowing blond hair and thundering runs, he could pass for a cross between Johnny Bravo and Action Man.
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But beneath the cartoonish destruction on the pitch lies a genuine emotional connection off it.
“When I speak about it, I get really emotional because it’s a country that has given me so much when I had nothing,” Van der Merwe said.
After a tough spell at Montpellier – including a failed medical – Edinburgh took a chance on him. That decision changed the course of his career.
“I went over as a young boy and people don’t understand how hard it is, leaving your family behind, leaving everything behind, going to a country where you don’t know how things work,” he explained.
“Initially, my English wasn’t good at all. It was tough. People don’t understand how hard that transition is. It’s not easy, no one has guaranteed me: ‘Oh, Duhan, if you move over at the age of 22 you’ll be Scotland’s top try-scorer, you’ll have played 49 games for Scotland, you’ll go on a second Lions tour.’
“People don’t see the amount of hard work and sacrifice you put in because I wouldn’t be sitting here without it.”
Now Scotland’s all-time top try-scorer and a two-time British & Irish Lion, Van der Merwe has cemented his place in Scottish rugby folklore – and he’s not about to swap allegiances anytime soon.
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“Wallabies bound” – 5 Ex-England players that could swap nations for 2027 Rugby World Cup
Due to the current World Rugby laws regarding international representation, an individual can undergo a three-year (36 month) stand down period from one nation, before then playing for a separate country in which they qualify for through ancestry.
England are at risk of losing an array of top stars to this law, with the latest departure witnessed just a fortnight ago. Jacob Umaga became the latest former England player to run-out for a new nation, as the Benetton fly half made his debut for Samoa, in the Summer clash with Scotland. Umaga last played for England in 2022, when Eddie Jones awarded the then Wasps man his debut against the United States.
Umaga went underutilised for the rest of his time in the Premiership, before signing with Benetton Treviso in the United Rugby Championship following the collapse of his former club. Umaga would then sign a contract extension with the Italian side, to end his eligibility with England and pivot towards a Test career with the Pacific Island nation of Samoa.
Multiple former England stars now ply their trade ‘in exile’ of the Premiership, or are eligible to represent a new nation having spent more than three years away from the Test match stage. In this article, we will review some former England players that could be on their way to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and don the colours of a new nation for the tournament out in Australia.
1. David Ribbans – South Africa (Eligible in 2026)
England fans have certainly missed the contributions of lock David Ribbans, with a possible change to green and gold on the cards for the South-African born second row. Whilst Ribbans has never ran out in a Test match for the Springboks, the former Western Province man has given Rassie Erasmus plenty of reason to select him for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Ribbans has been tearing up trees with RC Toulon in the Top 14, since departing England following the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The 29-year-old is in the form of his life, with a place rightfully earned in the illustrious Top 14 Team of the Season for the latest 2024/25 campaign.
Ribbans was ever-present in the Toulon engine room, and was one of the first names on the team-sheet in the side’s play-off securing season. Whilst on the books with Northampton Saints from 2017 to 2023, Ribbans made his England debut in the 2022 Autumn Series against Japan, and collected a total of 11 caps for Steve Borthwick’s side and a Bronze medal from the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
2. Joe Marchant – Italy (Eligible in 2026)
After commanding the England midfield for 27 caps from 2019, it was a shock to see Joe Marchant pursue pastures new following the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Whilst Marchant’s run with the England team only lasted a single four year cycle, the former Harlequin had a significant impact across the England centres and wide channels. Marchant’s impressive versatility made him a constant name within the England squad, with Borthwick unleashing the play-maker as his first choice midfielder throughout the World Cup.
Marchant had been a mainstay of Twickenham since 2015, albeit aside from a season-long sabbatical in 2019 with the Blues in Super Rugby. With his New Zealand experience propelling Marchant into the Test match conversation, Marchant returned to Harlequins to win the Premiership title in the 2020/21 season. Now a long-serving Harlequins faithful, Marchant would then pursue a new adventure in 2022, with an agreement made with Stade Francais for a move to France following the Rugby World Cup.
Looking at Marchant’s unique mix of family ancestory, the midfielder has Italian and Trinidadian heritage on his father’s side. Whilst the Caribbean island of Trinadad & Tobago are a way off qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the former England man could well run out for Gonzalo Quesada’s Azzurri for the tournament. Marchant has the versatility to slot in seemlessly to any back-line, with his international experince and on-field athleticisim offering an exciting addition to the young gun Italian outfit.
Marchant already has a former Harlequins teammate running out with the Italians, as Louis Lynagh has followed his Azzurri roots for his international career. Also, an honourabale mention is in store for Alex Lozowski, as the Saracens centre last played for England in 2018, and is eligible to play for Italy now should he get the call for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series.
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