Van der Merwe not the first SA-born Lion

DUHAN van der Merwe became the 11th South African to represent the British & Irish Lions when he faced Japan at Murrayfield on June 26.

The powerful left wing left his country of birth in 2016 to seek his fortune at Montpellier in France, and then moved on to Edinburgh in Scotland in 2017. Such has been his impact for his club that the 26-yearold made his Scotland Test debut last October against Georgia, where he scored a try as well.

Van der Merwe has now dotted down eight times in just 10 Test matches, but the upcoming series against the Springboks will be the first time that he will take on his native land.

The change of allegiances started as far back as 1896, when Reginanld Cuthbert ‘Cuth’ Mullins - born and raised in then-Grahamstown and educated at St Andrew’s College - left for the UK to study medicine at Keble College.

Mullins, a forward, played for Oxford against Cambridge, and was eventually picked for the Tour of South Africa.

Since rugby turned professional, England’s Mike Catt became the first SA-born player to make the Lions side in 1997.

Having cut his teeth in provincial rugby for Eastern Province in the early 1990s, Catt moved to England – for whom he immediately qualified as his mother was English – and he was signed by Bath in 1992.

Initially a flyhalf, where he made his England Test debut as a replacement for Rob Andrew in 1994, Catt emerged as a star fullback and was a key part of the 1995 Grand Slam-winning team. Catt was an injury replacement on the 1997 B&I Lions tour of South Africa, and started at flyhalf in the third Test at Ellis Park, which the Boks won 35-16 after the Lions had already won the series.

He was also selected for the 2001 Tour of Australia, but was injured and didn’t tour.

The next South African to don the famous red jersey was prop Matt Stevens, who actually played junior rugby for the country of his birth before moving to England – again due to his parents being English. He was picked for the England Under21 team in 2003, and made his Test debut against the All Blacks in Dunedin

a year later.

Stevens was picked for the 2005 Lions Tour of New Zealand by coach Clive Woodward, and played in six matches – none of them were Tests.

After a long career of 39 Tests, he retired from international rugby in 2012, but played so well for his club Bath that Warren Gatland called on him for the 2013 Lions tour of Australia – he again only played five midweek matches and no Tests.

Johannesburg-born lock Ian Evans was raised in Aberdare, and became a stalwart for the Ospreys since 2005. He earned 33 Test caps for Wales, and was chosen for the 2013 Lions Tour to Australia, where he did not feature in the Tests.

England centre Brad Barritt was another 2013 tourist, but he had a very different path to the Lions. Having established himself at the Sharks in his native Durban and reached the final of the 2006 Under21 world championship for South Africa, he suddenly left the Sharks after winning the 2008 Currie Cup to join Saracens.

He qualified for England due to family ties, and made his Test debut in 2012 against Scotland. Barritt was flown over to Australia as an injury replacement for the Lions, and played in a couple of tour games.

In 2017, CJ Stander and Allan Dell represented the Lions. Stander’s story is well known – from SA Under20 captain to playing in 51 Tests for Ireland and one for the Lions, against the All Blacks in a dramatic 15-15 draw at Eden Park that ensured the series was shared at 1-1.

Stander was a contender for the 2021 tour of his home nation, but didn’t make the cut and retired from all rugby at the end of the season for Munster.

Loosehead prop Dell played for the SA Under-20s, who won the world title at Newlands in 2012. After a few years at the Sharks, he moved to Edinburgh, and made his Scotland debut after qualifying through a Scottish grandmother.

Dell was an injury replacement on the Lions’ 2017 tour of New Zealand, and played one game off the bench.

South African-born Lions: Duhan van der Merwe (2021), CJ Stander (2017), Allan Dell (2017), Brad Barritt (2013), Ian Evans (2013), Matt Stevens (2013 and 2005), Mike Catt (1997), Dyson Wilson (1955), Brian Black (1930), Stan Harris (1924), Cuth Mullins (1896)