Springbok Edwill van der Merwe's Sharks move about more than just long walks on the beach

Older Sharks fans will recall with a smile the bizarre case of AJ Venter squeezing out of his contract with the Lions in 2000 to join the Sharks because they could offer sand and sea training.

It was a dubious legal argument, but Venter became a Shark and, indeed, became a sun and surf worshipper on Durban’s beaches. The blond locks proved it.

It is a different scenario for the latest Lions player to trade the City of Gold for the Golden Mile, but Edwill van der Merwe is enjoying Durban’s bounty as much as Venter did.

“Life is good, my wife and I love our walks on the beach. It is a very different lifestyle from Johannesburg, and we are excited to be starting this next chapter in our lives,” the affable Van der Merwe said.

The Springbok flyer was chased by the Sale Sharks in Manchester when his contract was drawing to a close with the Lions, but, as Sharks boss Marco Masotti says, “The only Sharks that count are in Durban.”

“I spent four seasons at the Lions and I felt I was at a point in my career where I needed something fresh,” Van der Merwe said.“The team that appealed to me the most was the Sharks because of the number of Springboks they have, and my ambition is to play for the Springboks. To be surrounded by that many Boks will elevate my game,” he explains.

“So I am in Durban to learn, to grow, and to contribute to the team,” the 29-year-old continued. “This is a very good progression in my career. I feel being in Durban gives me the best opportunity to take my career to the next level.The quality of the players at the Sharks is incredible. I have been here in Durban for three weeks and am taking everything in.”

Van der Merwe is something of a late bloomer. He was 28 when called up to the Springboks last June for a dream debut against Wales. He scored a sensational try and was Player of the Match in the Boks’ 41-23 win.

Van der Merwe went to school at Paul Roos Gimnasium and later played four games for the SA Under-20 team. He played 13 matches for the Stormers between 2019 and 2021 before making Ellis Park his home.

“One of the big reasons I chose the Sharks is because they are a team competing for trophies, and that is something I want to achieve. I want to be part of a winning team.I find John Plumtree a very knowledgeable coach. I have enjoyed working under him, and we had the warm-up game against the Stormers last week. It is interesting to see how he operates on game day. I especially enjoy his speeches before training and the games. He is a coach I can play for.”

On Van der Merwe’s mighty left bicep are the tattooed words: “It is a marathon, not a sprint.”

He explains: “I got that tattoo when I graduated from Stellenbosch University in 2020. It essentially means you will arrive at the right place at the right time. You can’t force things or wish to be ahead of where you are. Enjoy the journey, work hard toward your goals, but appreciate where you are.”