Duhan van der Merwe will sit down with Gregor Townsend this week for showdown talks over his Scotland future after being sidelined for almost the entirety of the 2026 Six Nations.
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The explosive Edinburgh winger endured a miserable championship campaign, featuring for just 55 minutes across the tournament.
His only appearance came in round three against Wales, where Scotland delivered a flat and underwhelming performance.
Now, with the summer tour approaching, Van der Merwe is eager to discover where he stands in Townsend’s plans after a season that has tested both his patience and resilience.
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Still Committed To Scotland
Despite his frustration, the 30-year-old remains fully committed to Scotland and has once again ruled out any possibility of representing his native South Africa.
Van der Merwe has become one of Scotland’s most feared attacking weapons since arriving from France, combining raw power, pace and relentless finishing ability. But away from the thunderous carries and spectacular tries lies a player with a deep emotional connection to the country that transformed his career.
“When I speak about it, I get really emotional because it’s a country that has given me so much when I had nothing,” Van der Merwe admitted.
Edinburgh Lifeline Changed Everything
The powerhouse winger’s journey to becoming Scotland’s record try-scorer was far from straightforward.
After a difficult spell with Montpellier — including a failed medical — Edinburgh offered him an opportunity when few others would.
“I went over as a young boy and people don’t understand how hard it is leaving your family behind,” he explained.
“My English wasn’t good at all. It was tough adapting to a completely different country and culture.
“People don’t see the amount of sacrifice and hard work that goes into it because nothing was guaranteed. I wouldn’t be sitting here without it.”
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5 Ex-England players that could swap nations for 2027 Rugby World Cup
Multiple former England stars now ply their trade ‘in exile’ of the Premiership, or are eligible to represent a new nation having spent more than three years away from the Test match stage.
In this article, we will review some former England players that could be on their way to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and don the colours of a new nation for the tournament out in Australia.
1. David Ribbans – South Africa (Eligible in 2026)
England fans have certainly missed the contributions of lock David Ribbans, with a possible change to green and gold on the cards for the South-African born second row. Whilst Ribbans has never ran out in a Test match for the Springboks, the former Western Province man has given Rassie Erasmus plenty of reason to select him for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Ribbans has been tearing up trees with RC Toulon in the Top 14, since departing England following the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The 29-year-old is in the form of his life, with a place rightfully earned in the illustrious Top 14 Team of the Season for the latest 2024/25 campaign.
Ribbans was ever-present in the Toulon engine room, and was one of the first names on the team-sheet in the side’s play-off securing season. Whilst on the books with Northampton Saints from 2017 to 2023, Ribbans made his England debut in the 2022 Autumn Series against Japan, and collected a total of 11 caps for Steve Borthwick’s side and a Bronze medal from the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
2. Joe Marchant – Italy (Eligible in 2026)
After commanding the England midfield for 27 caps from 2019, it was a shock to see Joe Marchant pursue pastures new following the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Whilst Marchant’s run with the England team only lasted a single four year cycle, the former Harlequin had a significant impact across the England centres and wide channels. Marchant’s impressive versatility made him a constant name within the England squad, with Borthwick unleashing the play-maker as his first choice midfielder throughout the World Cup.
Marchant had been a mainstay of Twickenham since 2015, albeit aside from a season-long sabbatical in 2019 with the Blues in Super Rugby. With his New Zealand experience propelling Marchant into the Test match conversation, Marchant returned to Harlequins to win the Premiership title in the 2020/21 season. Now a long-serving Harlequins faithful, Marchant would then pursue a new adventure in 2022, with an agreement made with Stade Francais for a move to France following the Rugby World Cup.
Looking at Marchant’s unique mix of family ancestory, the midfielder has Italian and Trinidadian heritage on his father’s side. Whilst the Caribbean island of Trinadad & Tobago are a way off qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the former England man could well run out for Gonzalo Quesada’s Azzurri for the tournament. Marchant has the versatility to slot in seemlessly to any back-line, with his international experince and on-field athleticisim offering an exciting addition to the young gun Italian outfit.
Marchant already has a former Harlequins teammate running out with the Italians, as Louis Lynagh has followed his Azzurri roots for his international career. Also, an honourabale mention is in store for Alex Lozowski, as the Saracens centre last played for England in 2018, and is eligible to play for Italy now should he get the call for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series.
