The hunt has been on for years. Will there ever be one other onrushing winger formidable sufficient to be talked about in the identical breath because the late, nice Jonah Lomu? Loads have auditioned, from the fearsome Alesana Tuilagi and Nemani Nadolo to the large Taqele Naiyaravoro and Joe Cokanasiga, with out managing to beat Lomu’s profession tally of 37 tries in 63 Assessments between 1994 and 2002.
More and more, although, there’s a new challenger. Whereas Duhan van der Merwe could also be nowhere close to Lomu’s bodily dimensions, he’s an imposing sufficient specimen at 106kg and 1.93 metres tall. And final Saturday, amid the hurly-burly of Scotland’s Six Nations win over England, his Calcutta Cup hat-trick stretched his profession tally to 26 tries in solely 37 Assessments since his debut towards Georgia in October 2020.
His ratio of simply over 0.7 tries per sport is now higher than these of Lomu, Bryan Habana, David Campese, Shane Williams, Joe Rokocoko and Jason Robinson, to call however a number of wing legends. Barring a number of distinguished former All Blacks together with Doug Howlett, Christian Cullen, and Jeff Wilson, the one different main names within the body are the serially prolific Julian Savea, who scored 46 tries in 56 Assessments, and Will Jordan, whose 31 tries in 30 Assessments at the moment locations him on the high of the heap.
Van der Merwe, although, isn’t enjoying for a rampant All Black aspect reducing opponents to shreds on a weekly foundation. He’s representing Scotland and, in some methods, is just simply getting began. On the age of 28 he ought to have a number of years of carnage nonetheless to wreak, with Italy the subsequent potential velocity bumps on Saturday week.
In the event you had been a betting man you’ll be tempted to again him, health allowing, to double his present attempt haul and propel himself into the highest half-dozen deadliest finishers within the sport’s historical past. So far he has 14 tries in 16 Six Nations matches and sits only one behind Scotland’s report attempt scorer, Stuart Hogg, who registered 27 in his 100 Assessments. If he has a equally sharp-footed rival in Europe it’s most likely his Scotland teammate Darcy Graham however it’s the type of tries Van der Merwe is scoring that more and more mark him out as one thing totally different.
Murrayfield on the weekend was one other prime instance. If he seemed assured with the road at his mercy for his first rating, his second from greater than 60 metres was a stunner. To see him in thrilling counterattack mode, leaving the English cowl for lifeless down the left touchline, was akin to watching an enormous cat at full tilt throughout the plains of Africa.
And if Finn Russell’s cross kick bounced up properly for his third, England had lengthy since obtained the message loud and clear. As at Twickenham final yr, when his two tries helped to ship one other well-known Scotland win, Van der Merwe’s ending intuition is more and more among the many rugby world’s fashionable wonders. Not fairly Lomu-esque but, perhaps, however the power to bounce individuals off and the velocity to depart them trailing is more and more turning him right into a box-office draw wherever he performs.
His success can also be highlighting an rising pattern within the fashionable sport. For some time the gainline was all about forwards trucking it up or half-backs in search of a mismatch or large centres attacking comfortable shoulders down the center. Now, with the pitch so congested and sides akin to England embracing a midfield blitz defence, probably the most profitable sides additionally are inclined to have critical attacking threats on the broad exterior.
Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse of South Africa will not be enormous however they’re two fairly sensible house invaders. Eire’s success has been a consequence of umpteen elements however amongst them have been the all-round contributions of James Lowe and Mack Hansen. Considered one of England’s failings, in contrast, has been a reluctance to belief no less than one out-and-out strike runner on the wing. Each crew wants some dynamism someplace and the smarter coaches have realised that it pays to get the ball into the palms of their most deadly weapons extra typically.
Maybe the final word instance, with apologies to Scotland’s “Van the Man”, got here within the Parisian derby between Racing 92 and Stade Français on the weekend. The length-of-the-field attempt scored by Stade’s winger Peniasi Dakuwaqa has gone viral and deservedly so. Other than arcing round in his personal in-goal space, surging by way of his personal posts, chipping and regathering the ball with out decelerating after which burning off the duvet to attain on the different finish, there was nothing in any respect to jot down residence about.
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The attempt of the last decade? Fairly presumably. Although we had been making comparable claims about Henry Arundell’s scintillating solo rating for London Irish in Toulon not so way back. Both manner, thrilling long-range efforts unquestionably improve the game’s attraction, a lot in order that the sport must incentivise extra gamers to have a go from deep extra typically. As Van der Merwe is underlining, there isn’t a higher sight in rugby union than a supreme athlete exploring the artwork of the potential.
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