South African-born winger DTH van der Merwe says Springboks game will be special

Van der Merwe’s father, a doctor, brought his family of five to Saskatchewan in 2003 for a better future.

South Africa’s loss has proved to be Canada’s gain. After satisfying rugby’s residency requirements, DTH made his debut for Canada against Barbados in June 2006. Thirteen years later, the 33-year-old flyer has 60 caps and 38 tries to his credit and has captained Canada five times.

“He’s a top-class player, a top-class finisher,” said Canada coach Kingsley Jones. “I’m just so pleased for him to make four World Cups. It’s a tremendous achievement for him.”

Van der Merwe is a danger-man with an eye for the ball, with more than a few tries coming off intercepted passes. And when he gets the ball, he is hard to take down.

The elusive winger turned heads at the 2015 tournament, combining with Ciaran Hearn for a highlight-reel try against Italy that saw the winger fend off a string of would-be tacklers deep in the Canadian end after an Italy kickoff.

It was a try any team would be proud of, giving Canada a 10-0 lead with the conversion. Van der Merwe had seen the Italians were narrow on their kickoff chase and told then-coach Kieran Crowley about the possibilities down the flank. Then he executed the vision.

It speaks volumes about van der Merwe that while he calls it his favourite try, he remembers the result more — Italy rallied to win 23-18.

“If I think of a favourite time, it’s got to have to do something to with my whole team and not just my own personal accolades,” he said.

The only thing to slow him down has been injury, with several shoulder operations needed.

Now in his second stint with the Glasgow Warriors, van der Merwe has also played for Saracens and Newcastle Falcons in England and the Scarlets in Wales.

He holds the Glasgow club record for tries with 55 in 115 appearances. According to Rugby Canada, van der Merwe has a strike rate of 110 tries in 219 first-class games between club and country.

He has one more year left on his Glasgow contract and will have to decide his future after that.

“Home will always be Canada. We’ll always come back when we’re done with rugby,” said van der Merwe, who sees the West Coast as his post-rugby destination.

He and his wife have three kids — aged one, three and five — and they are sorely missed during the World Cup. “Thank the Lord for FaceTime,” he said.

Born April 28, he shares his birthday and name — Daniel Tailliferre Hauman — with his father. His dad was called DTH until university but became Danny when he became a doctor.

“I’ve been called DTH from birth,” the Canadian winger said. “There’s only two people who have called me Daniel my whole career — Ian Hyde-Lay and Isabel Grondin.”

Grondin was a former Canadian team physio. Hyde-Lay is a B.C. rugby icon from St. Michael’s University School.

Van der Merwe’s Canadian ties run deep these days. He was moved deeply by a 2011 talk to the team in Victoria by Capt. Trevor Greene, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces who nearly died in Afghanistan. The Canada team mascot is called Captain Greene in his honour.

Van der Merwe writes his name on his wrist for every game.

Canada, which lost its opening match 48-7 to Italy, is looking for its first win at the World Cup since a 25-20 victory over Tonga in 2011. The Canadian men have gone 0-6-1 at the tournament since.

Van der Merwe is looking to join a select band of players who have scored in four World Cups.

Canada has faced the Springboks just twice before, with both games in South Africa.

South Africa blanked Canada 20-0 in a fiery encounter at the 1995 World Cup that saw Canadians Rod Snow and Gareth Rees and South African James Dalton sent off.

The South Africans won 51-18 in a 2000 meeting.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2019.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

South African-born winger DTH van der Merwe says Springboks game will be special

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