Calcutta Cups will not be about the way you begin, however the way you end. And in Duhan van der Merwe, Scotland have one in every of the best finishers round.
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Fifteen minutes in to the 142nd renewal of rugby’s oldest rivalry, Scotland regarded prone to letting the event get to them.
Passes went astray, excessive balls have been claimed by unchallenged white shirts and a decided England moved 10 factors in entrance, George Furbank marking his return to the beginning XV with a well-worked early try.
Scotland wanted a spark, a second of inspiration to convey a flat crowd again to life. They received two in fast succession, with their unstoppable wing at the coronary heart of each.
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His first try owed a lot to Huw Jones, the centre making the onerous yards and holding his composure after being tackled to find Van der Merwe, who did the relaxation.
Jones additionally supplied the help for his second 10 minutes later however on this event, it was a one-man present.
Receiving possession on the midway line, Van der Merwe started with a deft piece of footwork to get round Ben Earl and slammed on the afterburners. Much is manufactured from his dimension and power however this was an exhibition of pure velocity.
Having scored as soon as in opposition to England in 2021 and twice in 2023, maybe it was solely pure he would go on to finish his treble in the second interval.
He did so with the most routine end of the three, Finn Russell’s kick bouncing completely into his path, to grow to be the first Scotland participant to attain a Calcutta Cup hat-trick.
Van der Merwe turning into Scotland’s all-time main try-scorer is definitely now a matter of when not if, with Stuart Hogg now only one clear at the summit.
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DUHAN VAN DER MERWE WAS THE STAR OF THE SHOW
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