Philosophical Edwill Ready To Seize Opportunity
After patiently waiting for his chance in the green and gold, Edwill van der Merwe could be in line for another Springbok appearance this weekend – and he’s ready to make the most of it.
“My life motto is that it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” van der Merwe shared. “I firmly believe what’s meant for me won’t miss me, so the biggest thing is to stay prepared and ready. Whenever the call comes and the opportunity arrives, I just want to grab it with both hands.”
The dynamic winger, who joined the Sharks from the Lions, has already shown his scoring prowess in his limited outings for the Boks – scoring five tries in four games – something he credits to the players around him.
“I must give credit to the playmakers in the team. Some guys put you into space, and there isn’t much more you can ask for. Hopefully, when the opportunity comes again and I get to pull that winning jersey over my head, it will be the same sequence and I can add more tries to my tally,” said van der Merwe, who made his Boks debut against Wales last year at Twickenham.
With Italy being compared to Argentina in some parts, largely due to their ability to run a lot coupled with their exciting backline, van der Merwe is expecting a physical battle, “They’re big, physical guys, so it’ll definitely be a physical contest – we pride ourselves on that as well,” he said. “They can create moments of magic from the back, so it’s going to be a very good challenge.”
The Springboks will be playing at the home of Italian football giants Juventus, and while van der Merwe admits he’s not a massive football fan, he’s still looking forward to the raucous atmosphere.
“I am not a very big football fan, but it will still be a momentous occasion. Italian fans are very passionate, and they get behind their team, so I’m sure it’ll be a great atmosphere playing there,” he said.
When asked where the key battles will be, van der Merwe pointed to the breakdown as a decisive area, “Definitely in the breakdown – they put a lot of emphasis on slowing the ball down and stealing it, so that will be a key focus for us. Then it’s about overpowering them, no matter what they throw at us.”
Competition for places in the Springbok backline remains fierce, especially on the wing, but van der Merwe says it’s a healthy environment where players constantly push each other to improve.
“It’s incredible. Everyone in the system buys into helping one another, so it’s been amazing to learn from guys like Kurt-Lee [Arendse] and Cheslin [Kolbe]. Hopefully, when I get the opportunity, I can use it with both hands,” he said.
With the Springboks two wins from two on their end-of-year tour, van der Merwe knows a third victory against Italy could give the team valuable momentum heading into the eagerly anticipated clash against Ireland. “It definitely gives a lot of momentum,” he said.
“We take it game by game – this week it’s Italy-focused – but the team needs to play well, to keep building momentum, and when next week comes, we can focus on that.”
The reigning World Cup champions will want to extend their winning streak on the tour and show the world that, following the magnitude of the win against France, the well-oiled Springbok machine shows no signs of abating.
