Edwill van der Merwe heads into Saturday's Nations Championship Test against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld with a personal connection to the opposition back three — the winger and Scottish flyer Kyle Steyn were teammates at Maties before their careers diverged across hemispheres.
Van der Merwe, set for his sixth cap after scoring in each of his first five Springbok appearances, was measured in his assessment of Steyn and his fellow backs. "They are definitely dangerous players that we have to keep an eye on," he said on Tuesday. "I think most of their guys play either for Edinburgh or Glasgow so they have good cohesion and understand each other — know how to play off each other. And Kyle … we've also known each other for quite some time, so it'll be good to play against each other on the weekend."
Steyn's threat is well-documented in South African rugby circles after he scored two tries in quick succession for Glasgow against the Bulls in this year's URC semifinal.
Loosehead Boan Venter provides another intelligence thread into the Scottish camp, having played for Edinburgh. SA Rugby Mobi-Unit coach Duane Vermeulen expects that knowledge to be put to immediate use. "He knows the guys pretty well so he'll probably give us a bit more inside info, especially coming into our scrum session tomorrow," Vermeulen said. "He'll speak to the guys like Tuks [Ntuthuko Mchunu] and our tightheads. He's definitely biting his lips to play on Saturday."
Much of the Springbok focus this week has centred on the aerial battle and the contest for possession when kicks aren't cleanly gathered — a theme Rassie Erasmus has returned to repeatedly in the build-up. Van der Merwe said the instruction from the coaches is straightforward: go for the full catch. "Obviously with the law it makes it a bit easier for us to get clear access in a fair contest to the ball. And then from there, we implement what coach Tony [Brown] teaches us."
Vermeulen acknowledged that the Springboks left loose ball on the floor against England and wants that corrected. "The big thing after that is who gets the ball if they miss it — that's where you've got to be really loaded," he said. "This game is now not being played off set phases and first-phase strikes. It's all about who can transition the quickest from turnovers."