Van der Merwe relishing Rainbow nation reunion

LEINSTER’S latest South African prop seems to be settling in well to his new surroundings in the Irish capital, and Heinke van der Merwe should feel equally at home in Wembley on Saturday.

Facing him will be a Saracens side that has been tagged ‘SArries’ and London Cape Town such is the Springbok influence that courses through the club from its investors, administration offices, management team and coaching staff.

Five South African born players started in France against Clermont Auvergne last week and van der Merwe and compatriot Richardt Strauss may well come face to face with two of them — prop Deon Carstens and hooker Schalk Brits — in three days’ time.

Van der Merwe has crossed paths with a number of his upcoming opponents from his days with the Golden Lions back home, and that common heritage should ensure a handful of interesting sub-plots in the trenches at Wembley.

“It is nice to play against a couple of the South African guys. I am looking forward to that,” said the man who is following in the footsteps of Ollie le Roux and CJ van der Linde at Leinster.

“There are a lot of South Africans there at the moment so it is going to be a new challenge to us. It is a totally different team and a different style of play.”

That’s the thing with Saracens. They have been perceived as something of a Springbok raiding party on the domestic English game and yet they have displayed an ability and willingness to play exciting, expansive, un-South African style of rugby.

Only their propensity to shoot themselves in the foot prevented Brendan Venter’s side from claiming what would have been a sensational win at Stade Marcel Michelin in the first round against a side that was undefeated on home turf in 13 games.

“The guys can adapt and that is good for the players that are there. They are playing very well at the moment with Derick Hougaard at fly-half and a pack that is very mobile and getting around the park. It is great for them.”

There is still a theory doing the rounds that Leinster can be thankful for the fact that Saracens are not your typical ‘South African’ team in that they don’t seek to dominate through a forward-dominated approach.

The Irish province’s difficulties in the tight against Toulouse in last season’s Heineken Cup semi-final are still fresh in the memory but that was at least partially erased with the pack’s performance against a sizeable Racing Metro eight in the RDS.

“That was one of the targets we set for ourselves and I think we did quite well as a whole pack. You can talk about individualism but we hunted well as a pack and we must keep that up for the rest of the season.”

There is a sense that the province’s forward unit is finally beginning to establish it’s make-up and personality and right now van der Merwe, Strauss and Ross are the three men charged with leading the front line.

“The more you play together the better the players get to know each other. We are working well together at the moment because you know what the other guy is going to do. We are starting to believe in each other.”