From Varsity Cup record-breaker to Springbok try machine, Edwill van der Merwe has made every opportunity count. Next up for the Hollywoodbets Sharks wing: the champions at the Tank.
There is something fitting about Edwill van der Merwe's rugby story.
The boy from Kylemore, outside Stellenbosch, grew up dreaming of playing for South Africa. Years later, after making his mark at Paul Roos Gimnasium, starring for Maties, earning a Junior Springbok jersey and establishing himself as one of the most dangerous wings in the United Rugby Championship, that dream became reality.
And when the opportunity came, Van der Merwe did not wait long to make an impression.
From Kylemore To The Big Stage
Van der Merwe's journey began in the Western Cape rugby system before he made his Maties debut in 2016. He would go on to become one of the defining players of the Varsity Cup era, representing Maties from 2016 to 2019 and helping the side win back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.
He finished his Varsity Cup career with 23 tries in 37 appearances, a competition record that still stands.
His performances also earned him Junior Springbok recognition in 2016, when he represented South Africa at the World Rugby U20 Championship in England.
The next step was professional rugby. Van der Merwe made his Super Rugby debut for the Stormers against the Sunwolves in 2019 before moving to the Lions in 2021.
Johannesburg proved to be an important chapter in his development.
Across four seasons with the Lions, Van der Merwe became a consistent attacking threat, finishing his stint with 30 tries in 67 appearances. His combination of acceleration, footwork and finishing ability made him one of the most recognisable wings in South African club rugby.
By the time the Springboks came calling, he had earned his opportunity.
A Springbok Debut To Remember
Van der Merwe's international breakthrough came on 22 June 2024, when he made his Springbok debut against Wales at Twickenham.
It was almost the perfect introduction.
He scored a brilliant solo try late in the match, helping South Africa to a 41-13 victory, and was named Man-of-the-Match on debut.
After the game, Van der Merwe spoke about the confidence he had received from the Springbok environment and the freedom he felt to simply play his rugby.
“I could just be Edwill,” he said.
It was a theme that would follow him into the next stage of his international career.
From One Cap To Becoming A Regular
There was a long wait between Van der Merwe's first Test and his second.
But when he returned to the Springbok team in 2025, he made up for lost time.
He scored two tries against Italy in July and another two against Georgia the following week, becoming an immediate attacking weapon in the Springbok backline.
By the end of the 2025 season, he had scored five tries in his first five Tests.
The period also reinforced something Van der Merwe had already learned: opportunities at international level have to be taken when they arrive.
Before his return to the Boks in 2025, he admitted that he had wondered whether his international career might consist of just one cap.
“The biggest goal of mine was to play for the Springboks,” he said. “When I got one cap, I told myself I didn’t want to be a one-cap Bok.”
He got his second opportunity - and made it count.
A New Chapter In Durban
In 2025, Van der Merwe made another significant career decision, joining the Hollywoodbets Sharks after four seasons with the Lions.
The move brought him into a squad packed with Springbok experience and gave him a new environment in which to continue developing.
Van der Merwe explained that the quality and experience around him were among the reasons he chose Durban.
“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,” he said. “To be surrounded by that many Boks will elevate my game.”
His first season in Black and White showed exactly what he could bring.
Van der Merwe played 14 URC matches, starting all 14, and scored seven tries. He made 80 carries for 411 metres, beat 23 defenders and made 12 clean breaks.
Those numbers underline the central feature of his game: Van der Merwe does not simply finish opportunities. He creates problems.
Give him space and he can accelerate through it. Give him a defender in front of him and his footwork gives him another option. Put him into broken-field rugby and his pace becomes even more dangerous.
The 2026 Statement
If his first Springbok appearances announced Van der Merwe's arrival, 2026 has established his credentials.
On 20 June, he scored a hat-trick as the Springboks defeated the Barbarians 80–31 in Gqeberha.
His first came inside the opening four minutes. His second followed before half-time, and after one disallowed score, he completed his hat-trick early in the second half.
It was the first Springbok hat-trick of the 2026 international season.
Importantly, that match was not a capped Test, so his Test record remains separate.
As of the Springboks' 42–38 Test against Australia in Perth on 27 September 2026, Van der Merwe has earned eight Test caps and scored seven Test tries.
His 2026 Test tries have come against Argentina and Australia, adding to the five he scored across his first five Tests.
Seven Test tries in eight appearances tells its own story.
What's Next?
At 30, Van der Merwe has already travelled a considerable distance from Kylemore.
But his story is still moving.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks have brought him to Durban to compete for trophies, while his performances in Black and White continue to keep him firmly in the Springbok picture.
Now comes another opportunity at home.
On Saturday, 3 October, the defending Vodacom United Rugby Championship champions Leinster come to Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
For Van der Merwe, it is another chance to bring his speed, finishing instinct and big-game experience to the Sharks backline.
For the supporters, it is another chance to see one of South Africa's most dangerous wings in Black and White.
The champions are coming to the Tank.
03 October | 18:30
Be there and watch Edwill van der Merwe and the Hollywoodbets Sharks take on the best in the business.
