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The search has been ongoing for several years. Is it possible that there will be another blazingly fast wing player who can match the legendary Jonah Lomu? Many have tried, including the formidable Alesana Tuilagi and Nemani Nadolo, as well as the imposing Taqele Naiyaravoro and Joe Cokanasiga, but none have been able to surpass Lomu’s impressive record of 37 tries in 63 Tests from 1994 to 2002.

However, a new competitor has emerged, Duhan van der Merwe. Although he is not as large as Lomu, standing at 106kg and 1.93 meters, he still presents an intimidating figure. His performance last Saturday in Scotland’s Six Nations victory against England resulted in a hat-trick and brought his total number of tries to 26 in just 37 Tests since his debut against Georgia in October 2020.

He now has a higher ratio of slightly above 0.7 attempts per game compared to other notable wing players such as Lomu, Bryan Habana, David Campese, Shane Williams, Joe Rokocoko, and Jason Robinson. Some of the top former All Blacks with similar rankings include Doug Howlett, Christian Cullen, and Jeff Wilson. The only other notable players in this category are Julian Savea, who has scored 46 tries in 56 Tests, and Will Jordan, who currently holds the top spot with 31 tries in 30 Tests.

However, Van der Merwe is not currently a member of a dominant All Black team that effortlessly defeats their opponents every week. Instead, he is playing for Scotland and is still in the early stages of his career. At 28 years old, he still has many years left to cause destruction on the field, with Italy as a potential obstacle in their upcoming game on Saturday.

If you were someone who enjoys betting, you might be inclined to support him, as long as he is in good physical condition, to increase his current number of tries and rank himself among the top six players with the most goals in the history of the game. So far, he has scored 14 tries in 16 Six Nations matches, only one less than Stuart Hogg, the highest try scorer for Scotland with 27 goals in 100 Tests. If there is another player in Europe who is just as fast and skilled as him, it would most likely be his teammate from Scotland, Darcy Graham. However, it is the type of tries that Van der Merwe is scoring that truly sets him apart and makes him stand out.

The weekend’s game at Murrayfield showcased another great moment. He displayed confidence as he scored his first point from a close line, and his second point from over 60 meters away was impressive. His thrilling counterattack move, where he left the English defenders behind as he raced down the left side, was like witnessing a majestic big cat sprinting across the African plains.

After Finn Russell’s successful cross kick resulted in his third try, England fully understood the message being sent. Just like last year at Twickenham, Van der Merwe’s impressive finishing skills contributed to another memorable win for Scotland. While not quite comparable to Lomu at this point, his ability to shrug off defenders and outpace them is quickly making him a highly sought-after player in the rugby world.

His success is also highlighting an emerging trend in the modern game. For a while the gainline was all about forwards trucking it up or half-backs seeking a mismatch or big centres attacking soft shoulders down the middle. Now, with the pitch so congested and sides such as England embracing a midfield blitz defence, the most successful sides also tend to have serious attacking threats on the wide outside.

Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse of South Africa are not huge but they are two quite brilliant space invaders. Ireland’s success has been a consequence of umpteen factors but among them have been the all-round contributions of James Lowe and Mack Hansen. One of England’s failings, by contrast, has been a reluctance to trust at least one out-and-out strike runner on the wing. Every team needs some dynamism somewhere and the smarter coaches have realised that it pays to get the ball into the hands of their most lethal weapons more often.

Perhaps the ultimate example, with apologies to Scotland’s “Van the Man”, came in the Parisian derby between Racing 92 and Stade Français at the weekend. The length-of-the-field try scored by Stade’s winger Peniasi Dakuwaqa has gone viral and deservedly so. Apart from arcing around in his own in-goal area, surging through his own posts, chipping and regathering the ball without decelerating and then burning off the cover to score at the other end, there was nothing at all to write home about.

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Could this be the most impressive attempt of the decade? It’s quite possible. We have made similar statements about Henry Arundell’s amazing solo performance for London Irish in Toulon not too long ago. In any case, exciting long-distance attempts definitely add to the appeal of the sport, to the point where there should be more incentives for players to take risks and try from deep more frequently. As Van der Merwe is proving, there’s nothing more captivating in rugby union than watching a highly skilled athlete push the boundaries and possibilities of the game.

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Source: theguardian.com