Scotland: Duhan van der Merwe wants to ‘leave a legacy’

Duhan van der Merwe, for example, wants to “leave a legacy” as he prepares to earn his 50th cap against the United States at Murrayfield on Saturday.

The Edinburgh winger said: “There’s still a lot to give. I wouldn’t say there’s something I want to achieve as an individual, but as a team, I probably want to look forward to our national team this autumn and going and winning all four games.”

“Looking at the Six Nations, get a real taste of it. We’ve been talking about it over the last couple of years. And hopefully, the day I retire, I’ll be able to say I’ve won the Six Nations.”

Things look brighter for Scotland heading into this campaign than they did at this year’s Six Nations, when the list of crippling injuries grew to such horrific proportions that any chance of challenging for the title was mortally wounded before the event even got underway.

Sione Tuipulotu, Scott Cummings, Kyle Steyn and all the others are back, with Huw Jones the only notable absentee from this fall series.

A healthy Scottish representation on the British and Irish Lions summer tour – 12 Scots tasted action in Australia – should also inject some new confidence into the group.

But for Van der Merwe, it was a mixed experience. Having played all three matches in the Test series in South Africa in 2021, he failed to break into Andy Farrell’s side in any of the three Tests against the Wallabies.

“It was obviously bittersweet,” the 30-year-old said.

“It’s been a really special tour to be involved in. Unfortunately, I didn’t get picked for one of the trials, but I’m going to take it game by game just to try and be the best I can be for Scotland.

“I’m not particularly going to look at one game and say: ‘You guys didn’t pick me’, I’ll try to give my best.” “I will take each match individually to show what I can do as a player.”

Van der Merwe has shown exactly what he can do in a Scotland shirt since making his Test debut against Georgia in 2020.

He got a taste of what was to come in his first Scotland outing with a try – and he went on to amass 32 of them in 49 caps to become the country’s record goalscorer.

A start against the USA will give him a chance to extend that record – and a chance to enjoy a personal achievement that seemed unlikely when he began his rugby journey in Scotland five years ago.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” he said. “When I first competed five years ago, I never thought I would be sitting here celebrating my 50th birthday. It’s just a very special moment for me and my family.

“I came in as a very raw player in 2017 to Edinburgh. So to be on the receiving end of two lucky tries against England just shows the hard work I’ve put in over the last two years.

“There have been a lot of special memories over the last five years. I’m not getting any younger, are I? I have to make the most of what I think I have left. I have a lot to offer over the next two years.”