Van der Merwe targets May return for Lions selection

Edinburgh winger Duhan van der Merwe is on course for a return to action in May, keeping his British and Irish Lions aspirations very much alive.

The Scotland international, who holds the national record for tries scored, was forced off early in his club’s United Rugby Championship win over Dragons due to an ankle injury.

After undergoing a scan to assess the damage, Edinburgh confirmed that the powerful back is expected to return “during May.” This timeline leaves the door open for him to be fit and match-ready ahead of the Lions' summer tour of Australia.

The British and Irish Lions squad is set to be announced by head coach Andy Farrell on May 8. With van der Merwe expected to be back around that time, he could still be in contention for selection.

The 29-year-old was a standout performer during the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa, and a return to form and fitness in the coming weeks could secure him another opportunity on the grand stage.

Edinburgh are scheduled to play their final regular season URC fixture on May 16, and their strong position in the table keeps them firmly in the race for the play-offs. This could provide van der Merwe with additional minutes to prove his readiness before the Lions depart for their summer campaign.

Van der Merwe is not the only Scottish back managing injury ahead of the tour. Glasgow centre Sione Tuipulotu, who missed the recent Six Nations due to a pectoral injury, is also progressing well in his recovery and hopes to return this month.

The Lions will kick off their summer fixtures against Argentina in Dublin on June 20 before heading to Australia. The three-Test tour culminates with a final clash against the Wallabies on August 2.