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Telegraph
26 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Why Lions' top try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe is not getting a look-in under Andy Farrell
With just a Sydney dead-rubber left for the British and Irish Lions, those who simply study the data would be forgiven for thinking that Duhan van der Merwe has been among the stars of 2025. The 30-year-old has plundered five tries, bringing his tally to 10 across two tours. That puts him top of the tree among his squad mates. According to Stats Perform, he has amassed 336 metres with ball in hand. Huw Jones is next, with 287 metres despite seeing 46 minutes more game-time. Only Tommy Freeman and Sione Tuipulotu, with 17, have beaten more than the 16 defenders that Van der Merwe has brushed aside and the latter is also second for line-breaks (one behind Mack Hansen) with six. And yet, his prospects of repeating the three Test starts granted to him by Warren Gatland in South Africa four years ago have seemed remote since the outset. Ahead of a final meeting with Australia on Saturday, it would appear more likely for Blair Kinghorn to replace James Lowe on the left wing than it would to see Van der Merwe in action. Hansen is also back in contention after injury and likely above him in the pecking order. As a player leading Scotland's all-time scoring list with 32 tries in 49 Tests, he will be remembered with great fondness whatever else happens in his career. But the past few weeks will have been difficult. Unforgiving context Van der Merwe's chances of a fast start were compromised by ankle ligament damage that required surgery in April and meant that the Lions' opener against Argentina was his first outing in almost three months. He looked understandably rusty because of that lay-off. His next game against the Reds at Suncorp Stadium represented a blend of dangerous running and positional uncertainty. Then, four days later, Van der Merwe was drafted onto the bench for a disjointed win over the Waratahs. Henry Pollock's tight calf saw Scott Cummings come into the starting side as Tadhg Beirne shifted to blindside flanker. Van der Merwe joined the replacements and wore the No 20, a sure-fire sign of how late the decision was made and an indication that numbers 22 and 23 had been sized up for Marcus Smith and Ben White. After coming on for Hugo Keenan for the final half-hour, Van der Merwe could not impress himself on the match. On the last play, he took a looping pass from Kinghorn and was shepherded towards the touchline by several defenders before the ball squirted out of a messy ruck. The moment encapsulated both an unconvincing display from the Lions and how Van der Merwe's Test hopes were dwindling: Some have suggested that Van der Merwe was lucky to be selected for the initial squad on May 8 but his pedigree and Lions experience will have been hard to ignore. Andy Farrell evidently wanted size in the back three and Van der Merwe was particularly impressive in Scotland's 27-13 victory over the Wallabies last November. He scored a trademark try out wide… …and burst through Australia from a hidden inside pass move: This was something the Lions attempted themselves from a goal-line drop-out in the first Test, with the Wallabies snuffing it out: Good work from Nick Champion de Crespigny to get across to Hugo Keenan: — Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) July 19, 2025 Indeed, with Finn Russell and Sione Tuipulotu certainties to tour, Farrell had scope to lean on the familiarity of a potent Scotland back line. Although modern wings men roam around the field, they tend to have a preferred side of the pitch that is dependent on factors such as their favoured foot to step off. Van der Merwe is a specialist left wing. Remarkably, according to All Rugby, he has only once worn a No 14 shirt in his professional career; in a Top 14 match for Montpellier against Racing 92 in 2017. In that respect, Van der Merwe was probably not competing against the unfortunate Darcy Graham for a place in the initial Lions squad. Graham, normally a right wing, could have been edged out by Hansen. Once the group assembled, Van der Merwe was up against James Lowe, a favourite of Farrell's from their time together with Ireland. Having started the past two Top 14 finals on the left wing for Toulouse, Kinghorn became another potential candidate for the 11 shirt. Van der Merwe needed to be at his most devastating. Pros and cons As early as the sixth minute against Argentina, there was a reminder of Van der Merwe's athleticism as he stepped off his left foot and carved through the Pumas: He flipped an overhead offload to Tommy Freeman a little later and slipped off a tackle early in the second half before linking with Bundee Aki: It is interesting to note that Van der Merwe has registered all five of his tries in Australia on the Lions left. Here against the Australia and New Zealand (AUNZ) invitational outfit, for instance, he is on hand to capitalise on the attack sparked by Hugo Keenan's quick line-out: Later in the same game, Van der Merwe caps his hat-trick on the end of a slick first-phase move that outflanks the defence: This try, against the Reds, was probably the most difficult finish and requires him to dot down in a tight space amid the attention of opposing full-back Jock Campbell: While it might be tempting to downplay this propensity for apparently easy tries, it is worth remembering that Lowe missed a similar chance against the Brumbies. As an outlet capable of surging into space, few are better than Van der Merwe. Scotland feed width readily to tap into that asset. Recent weeks have also showcased less assured areas of Van der Merwe's game. The Reds clearly targeted his back-field positioning. This Hunter Paisami cross-kick caused problems before Van der Merwe rescued himself… …and Kalani Thomas set up a try for Josh Flook with a grubber towards the same wing: Les Kiss, the Reds boss, also coached AUNZ in Adelaide. Forcing Van der Merwe to turn was a pillar of his strategy again, as suggested by Tane Edmed probing in behind from this early line-out: Van der Merwe loses his composure here and was fortunate that the ball bobbles into touch to give the Lions a line-out – the kick did not qualify for a 50:22 – because his actions would otherwise have conceded a five-metre scrum. As for kicking itself, a necessary skill for back three players, Van der Merwe is not a natural. Whereas Lowe's left boot has been predictably prominent, accounting for 416 metres from 11 kicks, Van der Merwe has hit a solitary strike all tour – after AUNZ had again found space in behind him: This tour, during which Andy Farrell has implemented systems reminiscent of those that characterise his Ireland team, has reinforced how coaches will back trusted individuals – and those who suit their methods – to deliver. Van der Merwe always faced a tricky task. Farrell's preferences Wings under Andy Farrell are granted licence to fizz around the field. While this table using data from Stats Perform is not bulletproof, because it is taken from multiple games and possession shares will have varied, it can broadly show us how much four Lions wings – Hansen, Tommy Freeman, James Lowe and Van der Merwe – have been around the ball. Hansen has been around the ball most, either carrying or hitting a ruck once every 2.8 minutes he has been on the field. Van der Merwe is fourth of the four: Freeman (15 defensive rucks across 390 minutes) and Hansen (13 defensive rucks in 270 minutes) have also grafted at the breakdown on the other side of the ball. This is not to say Van der Merwe has not come off his wing. The Lions have asked him to swing around from strike plays such as this one against the First Nations and Pasifika XV: However, with the best will in the world, it would be a surprise to see Van der Merwe set up a try like Beirne's in the second Test from first-receiver as Lowe did. The fact that Jamison Gibson-Park feeds Lowe rather than Keenan in the first place underscores their relationship: Kinghorn was off his wing and into the opposite 15-metre channel as soon as he had replaced Lowe. This cut-out pass to Keenan punctuated the first phase of the winning attack: Freeman, like Lowe adept at contesting high-balls, has continuously roamed. As pointed out by Kevin Millar, he burrowed into rucks on opposite touchlines in the build-up to Keenan's last-gasp try. It is not that Van der Merwe is incapable of this, just that others seem to do so more impulsively. Much earlier in the second Test, just beyond the half-hour mark with the Lions trailing 23-5, Lowe and Freeman contributed to a key moment. From a left-hand scrum, Bundee Aki attempts to launch Huw Jones but a flat tip-pass ricochets off Len Ikitau. Lowe reacts brilliantly and keeps the attack moving with a pass to Keenan, who sends Freeman charging into contact: A strong carry, with the help of Keenan's latch, ends up metres from the try-line and foreshadows Tom Curry's crucial finish. No doubt Lowe's awareness will have been heralded by the Lions coaches this week. What next? Van der Merwe's response to this tour will be intriguing. Graham and Kinghorn, one suspects, would be shoo-ins for any Scotland side. There is fierce competition developing for back-three spots, though. Kyle Steyn, exceptional in the air, is a reliable operator. Kyle Rowe, Harry Paterson and Arron Reed all had bright moments on the summer tour. Besides Rowe and Ollie Smith, Tom Jordan and Fergus Burke could be considered as potential full-backs that shift Kinghorn to the wing. Van der Merwe will be eager to begin the 2025-26 campaign strongly for Edinburgh to assure himself of action over autumn fixtures against USA, New Zealand, Argentina and Tonga. As with other Lions colleagues, how he moves on from the tour may be more significant than what has happened in Australia.
South Wales Guardian
44 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Neville urging fans of EFL clubs to back local small businesses
Neville has teamed up with Sage, Official Accounting Software Partner of the EFL, on a new UK-wide campaign to champion local businesses, with fans across all 72 EFL clubs invited to nominate the matchday heroes in their community. Three winning businesses will have the chance to win bespoke club partnerships with the aim to gain exposure and drive growth. Additional finalists will receive business grants from Sage and promotional opportunities at EFL matches. 'Local businesses thrive on matchdays,' Neville said. 'Small businesses know how important football clubs are and clubs know fans need hospitality and service on those days. They need the local businesses to still be there to support the fanbase. 'A football club can never forget where it has come from, that is one of my constant messages. It needs to be the beating heart of a community and sit there to help people, support people, be the release, the energy, the life, the laugh. 'There are very few things in life that make your veins pop out like when your team score a goal or make you as angry as when your team lose. 'That emotion and feeling is absolutely critical.' Neville, who represented Manchester United on 602 occasions between 1992 and 2011, has since turned his hand to various entrepreneurial enterprises alongside his award-winning punditry with Sky Sports. He co-owns League Two outfit Salford City with some of his 'Class of 92' teammates and has a lifelong insight into how crucial football clubs are to their surrounding small businesses, and vice-versa. 'Growing up in Bury, being an owner of Salford and supporting (Manchester) United, I have seen the importance of football to local towns, cities, communities and local businesses at all levels,' he said. 'Manchester United not being in Europe this year has a massive impact on the city of Manchester. Manchester United doing well and City doing well has a huge impact on the city. It's the same with Salford, the same with Bury. 'Football clubs are not just important economically, they are important for the spirit in the city, the feeling of energy. 'That can largely be defined sometimes by how the football team is doing. It has such an impact on the local community.' The 85-cap England international is working with Sage to spotlight the vital role of small businesses in the EFL ecosystem, a partnership he is delighted to be a part of. 'It's hard work setting up a small business,' he added. 'Everyone does it with great enthusiasm and passion, I've done it myself here in Manchester, but you need systems, you need processes, I call it a defence. 'The nuts and bolts is making sure your defence is looked after and you're not conceding goals. 'Small businesses need that more than ever in what is a challenging time to operate and Sage do great work helping with that.' Gary Neville is encouraging fans to celebrate the businesses behind the badge on behalf of Sage, the Official Accounting Software Partner of the EFL. To nominate your local business hero and a chance to win VIP hospitality tickets, visit
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Panathinaikos vs Rangers: Get £20 football free bets and 50 free spins with Midnite
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