Unquestionably, he is one of many biggest finishers in Take a look at rugby proper now. Duhan van der Merwe took simply 46 minutes to attain a hat-trick towards England within the Six Nations earlier within the 12 months. That is how coruscating he could be. Towards Glasgow? Largely nameless.
We did not see a complete lot of him the final day, which is constant along with his performances within the fixture lately. He has scored one 1872 attempt in his final 11 video games. As a risk, he is been one thing of a mirage.
That is what Edinburgh are, although? They’re an phantasm. A workforce that appears pretty robust on paper however one which solely often fronts up. What number of extra instances have they got to be pilloried for his or her failures earlier than they stand up and begin doing one thing about it?
The humiliation towards Glasgow at Hampden was simply the most recent in an extended sequence of abject outcomes. Every so often they throw in a efficiency that provides hope earlier than lurching again into mediocrity quickly after. They have been going nowhere for a very long time now.
And that reality makes the renewal of Van der Merwe’s profitable contract all of the extra questionable. Good for Scotland however not good for Edinburgh, who might do with utilizing that warchest to strengthen at half-back and midfield, the place they’re thus far off Glasgow’s degree it is virtually embarrassing.
They’re sitting ninth within the desk. Final season t,hey completed tenth and the season earlier than it was twelfth. Progress of a form, maybe. However, with a price range in extra of £6m a season, it is a dreadfully low return.
