Jan van der Merwe (rugby union)
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use South African English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography
| name = Jan van der Merwe
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|08|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa
| height = {{height|m=1.82}}
| weight = {{convert|110|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
| nickname =
| occupation =
| school = Pretoria Boys High School
| university = University of Pretoria
| relatives =
| position = Hooker
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = 2014–2016
| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
| years1 = 2015
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
| apps1 = 1
| points1 = 0
| years2 = 2016
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls XV}}
| apps2 = 7
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2017–present
| clubs3 = {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}
| apps3 = 9
| points3 = 10
| amatyears1 = 2015–2016
| amatteam1 = {{Rut|UP Tuks}}
| amatapps1 = 3
| amatpoints1 = 0
| repyears1 = 2015
| repteam1 = South Africa Under-20
| repcaps1 = 5
| reppoints1 = 5
| clubupdate = 14 April 2018
| repupdate = 14 April 2018
}}
Jan van der Merwe (born 31 August 1995 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player who most recently played for the {{Rut|SWD Eagles}}.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=146554 | name=Jan van der Merwe | date=29 May 2016}} His regular position is hooker.
Career
Despite never earning a provincial call-up at high school level, Van der Merwe joined the Blue Bulls Academy after finishing high school and represented the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U19}} side in the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, starting eight matches and making three substitute appearances as they reached the final of the competition, where they were defeated 26–33 by {{Rut|Western Province U19}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=127304 | homeid=21124 | awayid=21104 | leagueid=2064 | hometeam=Western Province U19 | homescore=33 | awayscore=26 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U19 | matchdate=25 October 2014 | date=22 July 2016}}
He made his first class debut for the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}} on 6 March 2015, coming on as a late replacement in their 2015 Vodacom Cup match against the {{Rut|Falcons}} in Kempton Park, helping them to a 37–13 victory.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140144 | homeid=24284 | awayid=24294 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=Hino Valke | homescore=13 | awayscore=37 | awayteam=Vodacom Blue Bulls | matchdate=6 March 2015 | date=22 July 2016}}
He also played for {{Rut|UP Tuks}} in the 2015 Varsity Cup competition, starting their match against {{Rut|UJ}}{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=137724 | homeid=23604 | awayid=23584 | leagueid=2194 | hometeam=FNB UJ | homescore=0 | awayscore=34 | awayteam=FNB UP - TUKS | matchdate=16 March 2015 | date=22 July 2016}} and playing off the bench on two occasions.
Despite initially not being named in a 37-man training squad for the South Africa national under-20 rugby union team,{{cite web | url=http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/22116?view=news | title=Junior Bok training squad confirmed | publisher=South African Rugby Union | date=4 April 2015 | accessdate=9 April 2015 | archive-date=24 September 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924201317/http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/22116?view=news | url-status=dead }} he did feature for them in a friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team in April 2015. He came on as a first-half replacement and scored a try just after half-time in a 31–24 victory.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=142484 | homeid=25434 | awayid=25444 | leagueid=2384 | hometeam=Varsity Cup XV | homescore=24 | awayscore=31 | awayteam=South Africa U/20 | matchdate=21 April 2015 | date=22 July 2016}} He was also included in the squad that embarked on a two-match tour of Argentina.{{cite web|url=http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/22316?view=news |title=SARU names Junior Bok squad for Argentine tour |work=South African Rugby Union |date=29 April 2015 |accessdate=29 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130080313/http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/22316?view=news |archivedate=30 January 2016 }} He came on as a replacement in their 25–22 victory over Argentina{{cite web|url=http://www.uar.com.ar/noticias/noticias.asp?idinfo=3942 |title=Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 25 a 22 |work=Unión Argentina de Rugby |date=12 May 2015 |accessdate=21 May 2015 |language=Spanish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522172958/http://www.uar.com.ar/noticias/noticias.asp?idinfo=3942 |archivedate=22 May 2015 }} and started their second tour match a few days later, in which he scored two first-half tries in a 39–28 victory.{{cite web|url=http://www.uar.com.ar/noticias/noticias.asp?idinfo=3958 |title=Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 39 a 28 |work=Unión Argentina de Rugby |date=16 May 2015 |accessdate=21 May 2015 |language=Spanish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522173733/http://www.uar.com.ar/noticias/noticias.asp?idinfo=3958 |archivedate=22 May 2015 }}
Upon the team's return, he was named in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/22792?view=news |title=Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy |publisher=South African Rugby Union |date=20 May 2015 |accessdate=20 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130032506/http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/22792?view=news |archivedate=30 January 2016 }} He started their opening match in Pool B of the competition and got South Africa's first points in the competition by scoring a try in a 33–5 win against hosts Italy.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=144364 | homeid=26544 | awayid=26534 | leagueid=2484 | hometeam=Italy U20 | homescore=5 | awayscore=33 | awayteam=South Africa U20 | matchdate=2 June 2015 | date=22 July 2016}} He played off the bench in their remaining two group stage fixtures, a 40–8 win against Samoa{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=144394 | homeid=26534 | awayid=26524 | leagueid=2484 | hometeam=South Africa U20 | homescore=40 | awayscore=8 | awayteam=Samoa U20 | matchdate=6 June 2015 | date=22 July 2016}} and a 46–13 win over Australia{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=144404 | homeid=26534 | awayid=26514 | leagueid=2484 | hometeam=South Africa U20 | homescore=46 | awayscore=13 | awayteam=Australia U20 | matchdate=10 June 2015 | date=22 July 2016}} to help South Africa finish top of Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals with the best record pool stage of all the teams in the competition. Van der Merwe came on as a replacement in their semi-final match against England, but could not prevent them losing 20–28 to be eliminated from the competition by England for the second year in succession.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=146274 | homeid=26534 | awayid=26494 | leagueid=2484 | hometeam=South Africa U20 | homescore=20 | awayscore=28 | awayteam=England U20 | matchdate=15 June 2015 | date=22 July 2016}} He started their third-place play-off match against France, helping South Africa to a 31–18 win to secure third place in the competition.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=146324 | homeid=26474 | awayid=26534 | leagueid=2484 | hometeam=France U20 | homescore=18 | awayscore=31 | awayteam=South Africa U20 | matchdate=20 June 2015 | date=22 July 2016}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Van der Merwe, Jan}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:Rugby union players from Pretoria
Category:South Africa Under-20 international rugby union players