‘The best aerial finish I’ve ever seen in my life’- Van der Merwe scores stunner
Acrobatic finishes are not something that 106kg, 6ft 4in, Scotland winger Duhan van der Merwe is known for necessarily, but he changed that on Saturday at Murrayfield.
The South African born No11 is more familiar with taking the direct route to the try line, but he opted for the aerial route to open the scoring against Italy in round five of the Guinness Six Nations in Edinburgh, and he proved he is just as adept scoring that way as well.
The 27-year-old scored a try in the corner which initially looked like he was easily in touch. It was only once it went to the TMO that we saw he managed to keep his entire body in the air despite every part of his body, except his ball carrying hand, was over the line.
In fact, it was such a good try that Chris Patterson labelled it the ‘best aerial finish I’ve ever seen in my life’.
Take a look at the try:
”That’s the best aerial finish I’ve ever seen in my life!”
”His feet were in the West Stand!”
Stop what you’re doing and watch this spectacular try from Duhan van der Merwe. 🤯#BBCRugby #SCOvITA #SixNations pic.twitter.com/uaxbvY1fUa
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) March 18, 2023
SCOTLAND XV
15. Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps
14. Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 9 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 35 caps
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) – Vice-Captain – 15 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 27 caps
10. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 42 caps
9. Ben White (London Irish) 13 caps
1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 20 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 34 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 57 caps
4. Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) 24 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – Vice-Captain – 76 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) – Captain – 40 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) 56 caps
8. Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 8 caps
REPLACEMENTS
16. Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) 6 caps
17. Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby) 22 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 53 caps
19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 24 caps
20. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 32 caps
21. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 60 caps
22. Ben Healy (Munster) uncapped
23. Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) 4 caps
ITALY XV
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Pierre Bruno
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Luca Morisi
11. Simone Gesi
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Marco Riccioni
4. Edoardo Iachizzi
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro
8. Lorenzo Cannone
REPLACEMENTS
16. Marco Manfredi
17. Federico Zani
18. Pietro Ceccarelli
19. Niccolo Cannone
20. Giovanni Pettinelli
21. Manuel Zuliani
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Marco Zanon
