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'Lomu-ed the England backline': Rugby world react to Duhan van der Merwe's 55-metre ripper

By Kim Ekin

04 Feb 2023

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Scotland completed their third consecutive Calcutta Cup victory over England with a 29-23 victory at Twickenham that put a dampener on the first Test of the Steve Borthwick era.

England were undone by four Scotland tries, including a double to player-of-the-match Duhan van der Merwe whose first effort stunned the rugby world with a long-range burst on a kick return.

The South African-born winger drew comparisons with the late great Jonah Lomu for the way he blew past five England defenders, breaking through four low waist-high leg tackles before a final fend on No 8 Alex Dombrandt.

One of the all time great Calcutta Cup tries from Duhan ⚡️#AsOne pic.twitter.com/2qQSAScwI2
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 4, 2023

The try was instantly labelled an all-time classic with the ‘superhuman’ effort from Van der Merwe earning plaudits from ex-players, pundits and fans alike.

Former England flyhalf Andy Goode called it an ‘absolute worldly’ while Ugo Monye called it ‘pretty special’. Bristol Bears prop Max Lahiff said the Scotland No 11 went ‘full Homelander’.

Duhan went full Homelander. Discarding lads like a Kardashian. Class game of rugby. Smith and Russell too much fun to watch. Ambition was rife from both teams.
— Max Lahiff (@LahiffMax) February 4, 2023

Duhan just Lomu-ed the England backline. #ENGvSCO
— Jon Cardinelli (@jon_cardinelli) February 4, 2023

Wow! What a try from Duhan McVan der McMerwe! Absolute worldy!
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) February 4, 2023

That is superhuman. Duhan van der Merwe hasn't played since 30 Dec. A Calcutta Cup classic.
— Jamie Lyall (@JLyall93) February 4, 2023

DUHAN STOP THAT 😱
— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) February 4, 2023

Scotland thoroughly deserved that win in a marvellous game at Twickenham, not least for a 55-metre solo try in which Duhan Van Der Merwe brought David Duckham back to life.
— Richard Williams (@rwilliams1947) February 4, 2023

Duhan van der Merwe broke 10 England tackles. Plenty for Kevin Sinfield to work on.
— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) February 4, 2023

That was pretty special from Duhan 👏🏾 #ENGvSCO https://t.co/vfH5sGbT66
— Ugo Monye (@ugomonye) February 4, 2023

Duhan van der Merwe is now level on 16 tries for @Scotlandteam with Darcy Graham + the big man has only played 24 Tests, an amazing strike rate…
There are only 8 male players ever who have scored more tries than the @EdinburghRugby duo pic.twitter.com/MhlDk9aqib
— Gary Heatly (@G_HMedia) February 4, 2023

Duhan van der Merwe’s second try of the night after some expansive team play gave Scotland the lead with six minutes remaining.

An early pass from Matt Fagerson gave the powerful wing some space before he cut back through multiple tackles to reach out and score his double.

“As a winger you don’t get a lot of opportunities to score so I needed to take them,” van der Merwe said in his post-match interview.

“I was quite surprised how I got my first but I will take that one all day long.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

Flankly 11 minutes ago

'England's blanket of despair feels overdone - they are not a team in freefall'

Yes. Big games are often won by the teams that can execute when it counts. Australia's last try against England is a case in point. Both teams needed to raise their games, in the last possession of the match and with the win on the line. Australia found a way to score and England did not find a way to stop it. Its easy to dismiss it as luck or to blame an individual player, and sometimes that's fair. But great teams raise their games in those circumstances, and significantly increase their success rates when it matters.

15 Go to comments

SK 14 minutes ago

Five changes for the All Blacks, including the return of Sam Cane

Well if they decided to go with a rotated team Italy may have had an outside chance. Now they are just gonna try to avoid a hiding

2 Go to comments

Flankly 21 minutes ago

'England's blanket of despair feels overdone - they are not a team in freefall'

Agree that progress has been slower than expected, but part of it is that both Razor and Schmidt have improved their teams very rapidly. The high expectation of England winning against one or both of those teams this Nov was partly about them being in rebuild phases. But, despite them having less than a year to effect their respective turnarounds (vs Borthwick having 2 years), both coaches are already delivering results. Borthwick is getting there, but it is taking forever.

15 Go to comments

Cantab 25 minutes ago

Five changes for the All Blacks, including the return of Sam Cane

This is not an under strength selection and should be far too strong for the 6th ranked ( Northern) Italians

2 Go to comments

Bull Shark 27 minutes ago

Johan Ackermann returns to SA in new coaching role

Fabulous News. He can swan about here for a while until the England job opens up.

1 Go to comments

Bull Shark 33 minutes ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

You're outta here!

289 Go to comments

Bull Shark 33 minutes ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Yellow for you. Timeout.

Low risk of danger, so there won't be a bunker review.

289 Go to comments

Bull Shark 38 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

LOL. Tinfoil meet head.

17 Go to comments

Bull Shark 46 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

Not true. I'm a South African and I absolutely loved seeing the Wallabies beating England. And miss the Wallabies of old who were a devastating force with some of the greatest players of all time.

I hear quite regularly that Australians prefer Aussie rules, league, and cricket over rugby.

So again, seems like Australians are to blame for the state of the game in Australia?

17 Go to comments

Bull Shark 54 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I find Ben Smith to be an emotionally driven hysteric. So I question everything he writes.

He launched into the year about the ABs being back this year. For a "journalist" his opinions are based on the flavour of the month.

He's at least gone quiet about how sh1t the boks actually are. Although I suspect he's working on an outrageous article to that effect as we speak, to drive engagement after the end of the Autumn series, as we'll all be taking a break until the 6N. Reading his drivel in between extended periods of alcohol and mince pie consumption, and low grade depression related to the lack of international rugby. Leading to more alcohol and mince pies.

22 Go to comments

Chesterfield 57 minutes ago

Michael Hooper reacts to Scott Barrett’s controversial late-game call

The dominant pack should be enforcing their superiority with maximum points and the psychological advantage of taking the lead.

You don’t get that by saying we’ll settle for three and try again you get it by scoring seven and trying again. Doesn’t come off every time?

No.

But if you’ve asserted dominance letting the opposition off and not trying to build a double score difference is wrong minded.

All blacks have traditionally played to build the unassailable lead not meekly win a single point victory.

11 Go to comments

Arnold 59 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

Aaah. Ben Smith. Ever the unbiased, objective rugby scribe......NOT.

Unable to give credit where it's due, other than for the ABs, especially when it comes to the Boks. His contempt for them is tangible. If you want to " Get Real" about these ABs Ben, consider when they last beat the Boks??? For us Bok fans, beating the ABs is the only true measure.

22 Go to comments

Reader76 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

"they [All Blacks] are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary."

Sounds like you're describing your arch-nemesis Ben 😁

22 Go to comments

CM 1 hour ago

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

This article only shows a part of SBs failings as England Coach. Firstly his reputation st Leicester was false, his SA and Welsh players won the matches not his coaching prowess. He has Wigglesworth as attack coach, someone who rarely attacked when playing. His player selection is awful, ignoring form players and sticking with failed internationals. He picks players that he knows and will be easy to manage for him. What on earth is Slade doing when even for Exeter he does not make line breaks with steppping, pace or guile, why on earth are Cole,George,Steward,Ford,Iseweke and a few other anywhere near the Team. Borthwick is awful as Head Coach of England.

1 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 1 hour ago

Key Wallabies trio running hot a year after being left in cold

Good to be writing about a WB team that has beaten two 6 N sides in successive weeks, Brett.

Lolesio indeed is looking very comfortable under Schmidt coaching. He must feel as confident now as he was feeling in his spell at Toulon last year. It will be interesting to see how he does against Finn Russell.

30 Go to comments

J Marc 1 hour ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Your unterstanding of the relation FFR LNR, is far better than the one in the article. For Meafou, there is an article on Skelton saying he is totally indispensable in the australian game.

In France they are often compared, and french game is often, but not always ,based on this kind of number 5. But , there are a lot of kind of play in France and in the world, and it's a blessing, because otherwise, the game would be boring.

On my other post ,which you replied, my intention was to explain with some historics facts the main importance, in France, of the championship.

But ,once again, I would prefer 3 games in NZ , with the better french players.

289 Go to comments

Ninjin 2 hours ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I said before the November tests that the AB's should go smash some Nh teams to find their feet and it seems that is just what they did bar France. Could have should have always sucks. Better to look to the future.

22 Go to comments