VIDEO: Bok hooker Marnus 'still processing' his tries on debut
VIDEO: To make his Springbok debut was a dream come true for hooker Marnus van der Merwe, and to do so scoring two tries is the next best thing.
For the Scarlets hooker, his life went into fast forward since he was first included in Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ squad last year.
The 28-year-old’s inclusion was one of the headlines and a long time coming.
Coming off the bench in the game against the Barbarians in Cape Town was his first taste of international rugby, and on Saturday, he finally made his debut in a Springbok jersey.
The Nelspruit-born forward joined the Scarlets last season from the Cheetahs and quickly became a standout for the Welsh side.
In just one season, he made 25 appearances across the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Challenge Cup, standing out for his fierce work rate at the breakdown, solid set-piece execution, and impact on ball-carrying.
His performances also earned him a URC Elite XV selection.
Van der Merwe revealed that when he left the Cheetahs, he had mapped out a two-year plan to make the Springboks squad.
However, his amazing season at Scarlets has fast-forwarded that, and he is determined not to take it for granted.
On Saturday, Van der Merwe couldn’t take the smile off his face as he spoke to the media after his star performance against Georgia, and scoring a brace of tries in the process.
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“It’s something that is still sinking in,” he said.
“It’s something that you look back and think, wow, it’s actually happening. As a kid, you dream about it.
“I think tomorrow morning I’ll tell my wife, ‘Listen, I’m actually a Bok’. So I’m still processing it.”
Van der Merwe didn’t want to take a lot of credit for the two tries he scored, saying it was all the forwards that made it happen.
“Credit to the forwards, it was two maul tries. They did the work, and I just rounded it off. But I’m very happy. I think it will still sink in.
“I will definitely watch the whole game again tomorrow and see what I did. I can’t really remember much of what happened on the field.”
In the build-up to the game, the Springbok camp reiterated the physicality that Georgia would bring, and Van der Merwe confirmed that it was exactly what they expected.
“The Georgians are physical, but we train against guys like Ox and Wilco, so we know what’s physical.
“We make training as hard as we can to implement in the game. So, yes, it was physical, but I think we trained hard enough during the week.
“Test rugby is definitely different.
“How hard do you work in training on scrums and mauls to get ready for a game.
“We work harder in training to be better in games.”
