"The SpringJok" - Duhan van der Merwe makes his feelings clear on Springbok switch

The rampaging Scotland winger has slammed shut any possibility of ever wearing the Springbok jersey, insisting the green-and-gold is off the table for good.

Instead, he’s fully committed to the nation that gave him his break, reaffirming the powerful connection he’s forged with Scotland on and off the pitch.

Standing at 6ft 4in and carved like Rustenburg granite, Duhan van der Merwe is a nightmare for defenders. With flowing blond hair and thundering runs, he could pass for a cross between Johnny Bravo and Action Man.

Beneath the cartoonish destruction on the pitch lies a genuine emotional connection off it.

“When I speak about it, I get really emotional because it’s a country that has given me so much when I had nothing,” Duhan van der Merwe said.

After a tough spell at Montpellier – including a failed medical – Edinburgh took a chance on him. That decision changed the course of his career.

“I went over as a young boy and people don’t understand how hard it is, leaving your family behind, leaving everything behind, going to a country where you don’t know how things work,” he explained.

“Initially, my English wasn’t good at all. It was tough. People don’t understand how hard that transition is. It’s not easy, no one has guaranteed me: ‘Oh, Duhan, if you move over at the age of 22 you’ll be Scotland’s top try-scorer, you’ll have played 49 games for Scotland, you’ll go on a second Lions tour.’

“People don’t see the amount of hard work and sacrifice you put in because I wouldn’t be sitting here without it.”

Now Scotland’s all-time top try-scorer and a two-time British & Irish Lion, Duhan van der Merwe has cemented his place in Scottish rugby folklore – and he’s not about to swap allegiances anytime soon.

Here’s how England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland rank by the number — and percentage — of foreign-born players in their latest squads.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso — born in Cardiff, Wales

Bevan Rodd — born in Dunoon, Scotland

Tom Roebuck — born in Inverness, Scotland

Sam Underhill — born in Dayton, Ohio, USA

Marcus Smith — born in Manila, Philippines

5 of the 36 players (about 14%) were born outside England, representing birthplaces in Wales, Scotland, the USA, and the Philippines.

Ben Carter — born in Crowborough, East Sussex, England

Taulupe Faletau — born in Tofoa, Tonga

Archie Griffin — born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Danny Southworth — born in Barnstaple, England

Freddie Thomas — born in Gloucester, England

5 of the 36 players (about 14%) were born outside Wales, representing birthplaces in England, Tonga, and Australia.

Bundee Aki — born in Auckland, New Zealand

Jamison Gibson‑Park — born in Great Barrier Island, New Zealand

James Lowe — born in Nelson, New Zealand

Mack Hansen — born in Canberra, Australia

Finlay Bealham — born in Canberra, Australia

Joe McCarthy — born in Manhattan, New York, USA

Cormac Izuchukwu — born in London, England

Ciarán Frawley — born in Sydney, Australia

8 of the 34 players (about 24%) were born outside Ireland, representing birthplaces in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and England.

Fergus Burke — born in Gisborne, New Zealand

Sione Tuipulotu — born in Frankston, Victoria, Australia

Duhan van der Merwe — born in George, South Africa

Ben White — born in Stoke‑on‑Trent, England

Ewan Ashman — born in Toronto, Canada

Josh Bayliss — born in Tiverton, England

Jack Dempsey — born in Sydney, Australia

Nathan McBeth — born in Welkom, South Africa

Elliot Millar Mills — born in Stockport, England

Andy Onyeama‑Christie — born in Bristol, England

Pierre Schoeman — born in Mbombela (Nelspruit), South Africa

Kyle Steyn — born in Johannesburg, South Africa

15 of the 36 players (about 42%) were born outside Scotland, representing birthplaces in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, and Canada.