Van der Merwe set for Barbarians debut against Springboks with school friend Gelant alongside him

Duhan van der Merwe will pull on the famous black and white hoops for the first time on Saturday when the Barbarians host reigning world champions South Africa at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth — and the Scotland winger insists he has nothing to prove against the country of his birth.

The 31-year-old, who was born in South Africa but has lived in Scotland for nine or ten years and recently became a British citizen alongside his wife Nika, has faced the Springboks six times in international rugby — three times with Scotland and three times on the British and Irish Lions tour. Saturday, however, marks his first appearance in the Barbarians’ iconic hoops against any opposition.

“I guess the first time I faced the Boks it was a little bit strange,” van der Merwe said. “People have their opinions, whatever they might be, and they are entitled to them, but it doesn’t bother me. It was just a very proud moment for me and my family to do something which I never thought I would be able to do.”

He was clear that facing South Africa carries its own motivation, independent of any personal narrative. “I don’t feel like I have a point to prove or anything. It’s been nine or ten years and I’m just grateful for the opportunities I’ve had. The motivation is more that they have been the world champions for a long time and you want to test yourself against the best. You know whenever you play South Africa, it’s going to be pretty tough.”

Adding a personal dimension to the occasion is the presence of Warrick Gelant at full-back for the Barbarians, selected by head coach Scott Robertson. The former Springbok and current Stormers player attended the same school as van der Merwe in George and the pair joined the Bulls academy together, though they never shared a pitch in that setting.

“I didn’t know Warrick was involved until I got here and saw him,” van der Merwe said. “In the meetings we’ve had to get up and speak about ourselves and one of the things I mentioned was how special it is to reconnect with Warrick. He was my full-back in school back in 2013. We’ve got a really good relationship so to be able to play together again is special. I know what he can do, I trust him and we still have that connection.”

Van der Merwe recalled the shorthand the pair developed as teenagers: a shout in Afrikaans from Gelant, and a finish in the corner from the winger. Whether that chemistry translates against the world’s best defensive unit remains to be seen, but the reunion alone gives Saturday’s fixture an extra layer of meaning.