Duhan van der Merwe's eligibility for Scotland questioned ahead of England clash

02/18/2025 05:01 PM

Duhan van der Merwe cemented his place in rugby folklore with a sensational hat-trick against England in the Calcutta Cup showdown 12 months ago.

Find your local Greene King andsettle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

Now, Gregor Townsend's men are chasing an unprecedented fifth consecutive Calcutta Cup victory as they prepare to face their old rivals once again.

Twickenham fortress? Not for Scotland

Scotland haven't tasted defeat at Twickenham since 2017 – the year England clinched the Six Nations title and matched New Zealand's record of 18 consecutive men's Test wins with a brutal 61-21 triumph.

Since then, it's been all Scotland. With two wins and a draw in their last three visits, the Scots have turned the tables on their Southern rivals – and England's four-match losing streak in this fixture tells its own story.

Steve Borthwick's side, however, are desperate to keep their title ambitions alive with clashes against Italy and Wales still to come. Meanwhile, Scotland – fresh off a win over Italy – are looking to bounce back after a bruising defeat to tournament favourites Ireland.

Van der Merwe's special connection with England

For van der Merwe, scoring against England carries extra weight. Reflecting on his hat-trick heroics, he admitted:

"It's obviously very special scoring a hat-trick for Scotland, even more so against England."

And it seems the fans can't get enough – on and off the pitch.

Social media erupts over Duhan's “Scottishness”

While van der Merwe's performances speak for themselves, his eligibility remains a lightning rod for debate. The winger qualified for Scotland through the now-defunct three-year residency rule – and some fans are still struggling to accept it.

One fan quipped:

"I'm sorry but it's hilarious how un-Scottish Duhan van der Merwe is."

Another joked:

"One thinks Scotland might be trying to pull a fast one with this great Scottish player Duhan van der Merwe."

A third added:

"The hilarious thing about Duhan van der Merwe is how ridiculously un-Scottish he is. The name. The accent. And physically, there isn't a Scottish man that looks like him."

Love him or loathe him, one thing's for sure – when it comes to the Calcutta Cup, Duhan van der Merwe is the man England fans love to hate.

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UPDATED: Foreign-born players in the 2025 Six Nations

The following breakdown, based on data compiled by Americas Rugby News, examines the composition of various national teams, shedding light on the number of foreign-born players and how they qualify for their respective squads.

This international blend underlines rugby's global nature, with some nations leaning on overseas-born talent more than others. Ahead of round two, we’ve broken down the squads – and Scotland lead the way by a mile when it comes to foreign-born players.

ENGLAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/41 (95.2%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 3/41 (7.3%)

• Bevan Rodd (Scotland) – Parent
• Chandler Cunningham-South (England) – Born in England
• Harry Randall (England) – Born in England
• Marcus Smith (Philippines) – Parent
• Tom Roebuck (Scotland) – Parent

FRANCE

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/42 (92.8%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 6/42 (14.2%)

• Dany Priso (Cameroon) – Residency (2008)
• Uini Atonio (New Zealand) – Residency (2014)
• Giorgi Beria (Georgia) – Residency (2002)
• Joshua Brennan (Ireland) – Residency (2005)
• Emmanuel Meafou (New Zealand) – Residency (2023)
• Émilien Gailleton (England) – Parent

IRELAND

HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 30/36 (83.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/36 (25%)

• Rob Herring (South Africa) – Grandparent
• Finlay Bealham (Australia) – Grandparent
• Cormac Izuchukwu (England) – Parent
• Joe McCarthy (USA) – Parent
• Jamison Ratu Gibson-Park (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)
• Bundee Aki (New Zealand) – Residency (2017)
• Ciarán Frawley (Australia) – Parent
• Mack Hansen (Australia) – Parent
• James Lowe (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)

CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO

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