Records don’t stand still, they wait for someone fast enough to catch them. On Saturday, Edwill van der Merwe could grab one on the fly, becoming the first Springbok to score in each of his first four Tests when he faces Australia at the Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Five tries in three games against Wales, Italy and Georgia have already put Van der Merwe in the slipstream of history. One more at his old stomping ground, and the tape breaks.
In the long relay of Springbok wing legends, Bryan Habana knows a record is just a baton waiting for the next hand. Habana, a veteran of 142 tests, believes the 29-year-old speed merchant is on the brink of making history.
They are redefining how people see wing play. Edwill could become the first Springbok to score tries in his first four matches, and I always tell people, records are there to be broken.
If I look at what Cheslin [Kolbe] is doing, Kurt-Lee [Arendse] and Makazole [Mapimpi] and how they’ve been given that platform to showcase their talents and individualism, it is phenomenal.
As a fan, it’s brilliant to see how those who have been given the opportunity in the Springbok team are going out and performing. Long may that continue, and records be broken.
For Habana, Van der Merwe’s rise isn’t an overnight sprint, it’s the product of years pounding the track.
Edwill has been playing incredible rugby over the last six or seven years. He grafted hard and is a player who puts himself in positions to surprise opposition.
His off-the-mark speed is excellent, his vision to pop up where opponents do not expect him to, and his power-to-weight ratio is up there with Cheslin. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and that is brilliant.
It is a phenomenal opportunity to create some rugby history.
But Van der Merwe isn’t checking the scoreboard yet. With Cheslin Kolbe resting a niggle, he’s been handed the starting blocks on the left wing, to run his own race.
I’m very excited about the opportunity to play against Australia and to take the field in a Test for the first time at Ellis Park. This is an opportunity and a new challenge to improve my game. That’s where my focus is presently.
There’s an expectation if you play for the Springboks. It’s hard to get here and equally hard to stay here. So, each day is a challenge and an opportunity to improve. Scoring a try is a bonus. I’m more focused on my position in the system.
The Wallabies, he knows, won’t make it easy.
They are a big, physical team, who started building momentum against the British & Irish Lions in Australia, and they’ve improved a lot. I expect the breakdown to be a focus point in the Test and I’m looking forward to it.
And the record?
There is no pressure on me to score tries, but rather to ensure I’m accurate in implementing what the coaches want me to do. The main challenge is to make the right decisions, both on attack and defence, especially against stronger teams with more experience.
Van der Merwe’s stride has already turned heads. Whether or not he crosses the tryline on Saturday, he’s running with intent in a straight line toward the Springbok future.
