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Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle lead race for Duhan van der Merwe
By Neil Fissler
La Rochelle hope to end their search for a new explosive winger by making a move to take Scotland and Lions ace Duhan van der Merwe to the Bay of Biscay next season.
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Ronan O’Gara has made no secret of his desire to add more firepower to his squad for next season, and Van der Merwe, who is out of contract next June, has been speaking to several Top 14 clubs about a potential move.
One of the clubs that Van der Merwe, 29, who hails from George, Western Cape, is believed to have spoken to is Montpelier, where he scored three tries in four games during the 2016-2017 season.
His stint at the GGL Stadium was cut short by a recurring hip injury and difficulties adjusting to French culture and language. He then moved to Edinburgh, where his career took off and earned him a Scotland call-up.
The former South Africa under-20 international became eligible for Scotland in 2020 on residency grounds. Since then, he has caused carnage, scoring 28 tries in 41 appearances, making him one of the world’s most sought-after wingers.
Van der Merwe, who scored a brace of tries in the opening URC clash of the season against Leinster, is closing in on a century of appearances for Edinburgh after returning to the Scottish capital when Worcester Warriors were liquidated.
A move to the Stade Marcel-Deflandre is by no means clear-cut, with Bayonne and Lyon among the clubs looking for a winger and who are also believed to have had some contact to sound him out about his plans.
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When he moved to Sixways, Van der Merwe signed a deal worth £300,000 a season, but he won’t come cheap for any club that wants to sign him. Some sources say he is asking for between €30,000 and €34,000 (£25,000 and 28,000) a month.
That could even put him out of range even for the Les Maritimes who are looking to replace injury-hit Springbok international Raymond Rhule when his contract runs out next summer.
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