POWER SURGE
Devastating Duhan is a fantastic finisher who will supply Scotland with the X-Factor, insists Cockerill
HAD things turned out differently, Duhan van der Merwe would be gearing up to win his first Scotland cap next weekend in the opening match of their summer tour.
Now qualified for the Scots through the residency scheme, the fact that his debut was set to come against his native South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town would doubtless have made the occasion that little bit sweeter.
Having grown up in the Western Cape and represented the Springboks at Under-20s level, it was poised to be a momentous occasion as he returned home to face the reigning world champions.
With the pandemic having put the rugby world into shutdown, however, Van der Merwe must now wait until the autumn to win his first cap for his newly adopted nation.
When the moment finally comes, Richard Cockerill is in no doubt that the powerful winger will provide some genuine stardust and X-Factor for the national side.
Cockerill coaches Van der Merwe at club level for Edinburgh and, since joining in 2017, a phenomenal strike rate of 31 tries in 57 games has identified him as one of the most lethal attacking talents in Europe.
‘Duhan arrived in the same summer as I did, so both me and him qualify this summer to play for Scotland,’ joked Cockerill.
‘I don’t know the exact dates, but he was going to be available for the summer tour.
‘He will be available for autumn. He’s been on good form. The way we’ve played has suited him.
‘We get him in good positions with the ball and he’s a great finisher — a devastating finisher.
‘Stuart Hogg is probably the out-and-out full-back (for Scotland). Blair Kinghorn can play there, as he does for us, and should be pushing him hard.
‘There’s Duhan, Darcy Graham, Sean Maitland is very strong, Byron McGuigan, Kyle Steyn — there’s lots of guys that can play there, aren’t there?
‘There’s real strength in depth there, probably two back threes that you can pick and do a very good job.
‘Duhan’s just a great finisher. Give him some space, some one-on-ones, he’s big, powerful and physical, good feet, he is rapid.
‘He gives you something from nothing and that’s sometimes the difference between winning or losing, be it in the Pro14 or a Test match.’
With Edinburgh hoping to return to Pro14 action against rivals Glasgow Warriors on August 22, Cockerill will be hoping his side can yet have a shot at glory.
With the campaign now being condensed into two final rounds of derby games prior to the play-offs, Edinburgh sit top of Conference B.
It had been expected that the rescheduled final would take place in Dublin, with Leinster effectively top seeds as they are unbeaten at the top of Conference A.
However, should the Irish side come unstuck in a semi-final, most likely against rivals Munster, Cockerill feels Edinburgh could yet host the showpiece.
‘I think whichever team goes into the final as top seeds should get to host it,’ he said. ‘For example, if we finished top and go into a semi-final, that semi-final should be played at BT Murrayfield.
‘That would take Munster to Dublin (to face Leinster). If Munster could win that, we’d go into the final as the top seeds having finished first in the Conference. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves too much. There’s a chance we could play a home final at Murrayfield because we’d have earned the right, but there are some good sides still left.
‘Glasgow still have a chance to make it, as slim as it might seem. I’m just happy for Edinburgh to be mixing it with that calibre of teams.
‘I haven’t been told anything official in terms of the final, but that’s what I’m hoping for in terms of how they’d organise it. I think it’s a fair and just way of doing it.’
When the rivalry resumes with Glasgow, Cockerill is not expecting a radical change now that Danny Wilson has taken over from Dave Rennie as Warriors head coach.
‘Like all coaches, I think they’ll have a slightly different slant on how they do things,’ said the Englishman, who has expressed a desire to extend his contract beyond next summer when it is due to expire.
‘They’ve got a strong squad and the basis of a very good team. Danny will go in and put his own twist on it.
‘He’s an experienced coach. He’s come through the pathway different to most people. He worked his way through.
‘He’s a good coach and I’ve obviously spent a lot of time with him around the national team.
‘Even now, dare I say it, we’ve had a few conversations about things as the coaches of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
‘He’s a hooker by trade and a forwards coach. So you’d expect maybe a pragmatic sort of style, but he’s still got a lot of X-Factor in that team.
‘Glasgow are always a very good side and they play a good brand of rugby, which has been successful for them.
‘They’re always in and around the play-offs, semis and finals.
‘I certainly don’t see them being any weaker with Danny there at all. They should feel pretty positive about what they’ve got and what they can do.’