How Duhan van der Merwe is in 'best nick' as close pal lifts lid on Scotland hero and makes pace confession
Winger not ready for Hive return against Toulon but is training hard and looking good according to prop.
Edinburgh prop Pierre Schoeman believes that Duhan van der Merwe is in the “best nick” he has ever been as the winger works his way back from injury.
Once widely regarded as a world-class attacking threat, Van der Merwe’s form dipped significantly last season and he lost his place in the Scotland starting XV. There are now real questions as to whether the two time British & Irish Lion will make the squad for the upcoming Nations Championship Test matches.
However, his close friend and fellow former South Africa under-20 international Schoeman has given both club and national team supporters cause for excitement after revealing the ex-Worchester Warriors and Montpellier man is in peak condition. Schoeman, who first arrived at the Hive one year after Van der Merwe in 2018, added the 6ft 4in juggernaut may return a faster player than ever before.
“I think he’s going to be even quicker” - van der Merwe tipped for return to form by Edinburgh and Scotland teammate
“He's been working bloody hard,” the loose-head explained. “I think he's in some of the best nick ever.
“He's training really well, I think he trained last week and this week again. He's training really well with great confidence, attack and defence.
“I think he lost a bit of, I don't know if you can lose more fat if you're that lean, but he lost more fat as well. So I think he's going to be even quicker. The boys are really working hard with the S&C and the medical department.”
Although Van der Merwe is not going to be back in time for this Friday’s EPCR Challenge Cup match at home to Toulon, it is hoped that he can recover from the ankle issue that has derailed his start to the 2026/27 season before the November Test matches. He will continue to work with the medical team at Edinburgh, who Schoeman praised as having “stepped up” this year.
He added: “That's a massive step up at Edinburgh as well, the medical department. The boys are getting properly worked and looked after and when they return to play like him now, he'll be ready to go. You can see them training.
“The media can't see it yet, but we can obviously experience that he's running as quick as never before. He's the utmost professional when it comes to staying in shape and working bloody hard.
“I think he gyms the upper body with the forwards. Lower body, he still has to gym with the backs. That's just how it is.”
Despite missing both van der Merwe and fellow try machine Darcy Graham, the capital club have achieved a perfect start to their new URC campaign with three wins from three so far. There are plenty of new faces in both the team and coaches box this season and Schoeman revealed how influential they have been to the surge in results.
“It's definitely the new coaches,” he added. “There's a massive positive input in that. I think Sean [Everitt] has done a great job and the club at sourcing Brad [Davis], Hodgie [Michael Hodge] with the breakdown and Sampo {Tim Sampson] with the attack.
“Our back line, it's nice as a forward to look back and see we're making some gain line, playing some expansive good rugby but also we still pride ourselves on doing the hard stuff. The momentum carries into the brick wall, the big shots, the set-piece battles, the boring kick chases probably for the forwards.”
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