Lions legend Shane Williams has named the back-three he believes capable of defeating South Africa.
The three-time British & Irish Lions tourist, 2005 – 2013, didn’t pick a single English or Irish player in his trio.
“With the first test just two weeks away the test team is starting become clear,” said Williams in his column for The Rugby Paper.
“Gatland has an embarrassment of riches to choose from in the back-three with world-class players such as Anthony Watson Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit,
“But this is the three I’d go with right now, although it seems to change from game-to-game.”
SHANE WILLIAMS’ LIONS BACK-THREE:
11. Duhan van de Merwe (Scotland)
The 6ft 4in back has made a major impact since arriving in Scotland in 2017, when he joined Guinness PRO14 side Edinburgh after stints in France at Montpellier and South Africa with the Blue Bulls. He qualified for Scotland through the residency rule and made his Test debut against Georgia in October 2020, where he scored a try in a 48-7 win.
DID YOU KNOW? Van der Merwe is the younger brother of Akker van der Merwe, also a professional rugby union player who plays at hooker for the Sale Sharks and South Africa.