NPR

What a player and person he is.

It wasn't even the best try he scored that day.

I'm only partly joking with this, that was an incredible solo effort, but for a team try and "total rugby", his second was better.

The Embra fans love him, there was a bit of disappointment when he left for the pay check after qualifying for Scotland, but he's back now.


edited to add

Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:50 pm It wasn't even the best try he scored that day.

For the first I stood open mouthed in disbelief at him thundering through.
For the second I was jumping about with joy for the whole move, urging the lads on. So I am with you,2nd was the better try with so many people and hands involved.

But the first was just specular and a real headline maker !!

I followed him from his schoolboy days at Outeniqua. Played with Gelant. He got a Bulls contract after school, but didn't stay long.

https://rugby365.com/tournaments/britis ... ok-cracks/

vball wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:10 pm

Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:50 pm It wasn't even the best try he scored that day.

For the first I stood open mouthed in disbelief at him thundering through.
For the second I was jumping about with joy for the whole move, urging the lads on. So I am with you,2nd was the better try with so many people and hands involved.

But the first was just specular and a real headline maker !!

I think in the aftermath of the first try my favourite quote was from Kyle Steyn who said he gave the scoring pass, all Duhey had to do was run it in

OomStruisbaai wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:20 pm I followed him from his schoolboy days at Outeniqua. Played with Gelant. He got a Bulls contract after school, but didn't stay long.

https://rugby365.com/tournaments/britis ... ok-cracks/

There was a guy on another bored, a Welsh supporter who delighted in talking down anything to do with Scotland. He was very knowledgeable about South African rugby having spent a lot of time there. He insisted that vdM just didn't make the grade in South Africa.

However French interest was sufficient to get him a contract at Montpellier (was Jake White the coach there at the time? I may be mis-remembering that)

Anyway, he finished at Montpellier with an injured hip and out of contract, nowhere to go. He failed his medical with the SRU when Richard Cockerill wanted to bring him to Edinburgh, but Cockerill really went in to bat for him and said he he'd seen enough of van der Merwe to suggest he was worth the rugby risk of getting him through an operation and rehab - Edinburgh lost Nasi Manu and Robbie Fruean on similar injury risk signings at that time, so it was huge leap of faith for the SRU to go with vd M, but if they hadn't his rugby career would probably have been over.

Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:50 pm It wasn't even the best try he scored that day.

I'm only partly joking with this, that was an incredible solo effort, but for a team try and "total rugby", his second was better.

The Embra fans love him, there was a bit of disappointment when he left for the pay check after qualifying for Scotland, but he's back now.


edited to add

This is absolutely what I think. The first try was some individual brilliance and showy, but give me the second any day of the week. Teamwork, determination, and it won the game. Every time I watch that arm come down to place the ball I feel the actual ground should shake.

The individual try was a bit Lomu like. I saw better team tries . Most tries are team tries.

Define a team try. It's easy when the ball passes through 10 pairs of hands during a 60 metre try, but what about when 2 or 3 players combine for a try from the same distance?

Gumboot wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:26 am Define a team try. It's easy when the ball passes through 10 pairs of hands during a 60 metre try, but what about when 2 or 3 players combine for a try from the same distance?

When the attacker beat 4 to 5 defenders to score is obvious more difficult then scoring after a lot of passes and using the space to finish. Rugby is a team sport , so obvious we like a team try more.

Gumboot wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:26 am Define a team try. It's easy when the ball passes through 10 pairs of hands during a 60 metre try......

Maybe in NZ. The rest of us are shocked and delighted when our teams do the same.

Being there live, the second was the better. With the first, up in the gods you could see the massive gap in our defence and that VdM was running a seam through it. Both my mate and I said ‘shit’ to each other before he’d crossed the half way line

The real highlight in that try was the pathetic tackle (non-)attempt of the England 8 Dombrandt. What a joke.

boere wors wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:16 am The real highlight in that try was the pathetic tackle (non-)attempt of the England 8 Dombrandt. What a joke.

Yes, a man who’s 2023 6N has likely consigned him to a life of club rugby

Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:50 pm It wasn't even the best try he scored that day.

I'm only partly joking with this, that was an incredible solo effort, but for a team try and "total rugby", his second was better.

The Embra fans love him, there was a bit of disappointment when he left for the pay check after qualifying for Scotland, but he's back now.


edited to add

Watched those highlights, both teams played some very good stuff.

Have to say though, despite him being decent going forward, Marcus Smiths defence is an absolute liability, terrible

The Saffer teams seem to like knocking the big name chicken runners over. The Stormers tackle the kak out of Jasper Wiese. They lined them up. Cost us the game.

Slick wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:33 am

Tichtheid wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2023 6:50 pm It wasn't even the best try he scored that day.

I'm only partly joking with this, that was an incredible solo effort, but for a team try and "total rugby", his second was better.

The Embra fans love him, there was a bit of disappointment when he left for the pay check after qualifying for Scotland, but he's back now.


edited to add

Watched those highlights, both teams played some very good stuff.

Have to say though, despite him being decent going forward, Marcus Smiths defence is an absolute liability, terrible

It was a fun game of rugby, could have gone either way at any point

Paddington Bear wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:53 am

It was a fun game of rugby, could have gone either way at any point

Yeah, unlike that 38 all game from 2019 which had two 35 minute periods where Scottish fans were hiding behind the couch for the first one and then English fans took their place for the second