Yet another South African-born player is set to make Flower of Scotland his new anthem.
The Edinburgh Rugby club has confirmed that flyhalf Jaco van der Walt is set to be called up to the Scotland squad for the Autumn Nations Cup playoffs next weekend.
VAN DER WALT PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR THE LIONS
As a result, Van der Walt will not be available for Edinburgh’s next PRO14 match against Ulster next Monday as he prepares to link up with the Scotland squad.
Edinburgh Rugby are currently struggling in this season’s delayed PRO14 and after six matches (2 wins, 4 defeats) they find themselves second from bottom in Conference B.
Their Ulster opponents are enjoying a better time of things and are currently unbeaten (7 wins from 7 matches) in Conference A.
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Van der Walt, 26, who previously played for the Lions in Super Rugby, recently qualified for Scotland selection on the residency rule, having been in the country for the minimum three-year period.
He is expected to start training with Gregor Townsend’s side now that he has completed his quarantine period after a trip home to South Africa to get married.
Edinburgh Rugby coach Richard Cockerill said that even though he will be without Van der Walt for the crucial Ulster match, he was delighted at the news.
‘He won’t play for us on Monday as he’ll be preparing hopefully to be involved with Scotland on the Saturday,’ Cockerill said.
‘He has worked really hard at his game and is very committed to want to play for Scotland. We’re very proud we have another player in the squad who’ll get another opportunity in a week or so.
‘He has worked really hard at his game and is very committed to want to play for Scotland. We’re very proud we have another player in the squad who’ll get another opportunity in a week or so.’
Scotland currently have something of an injury crisis in the No 10 position with both Finn Russell and Adam Hastings out due to injury and have opted to back Duncan Weir in the ongoing Autumn Nations Cup.
Scotland have enjoyed a mixed set of results in the Autumn Nations Cup having scraped past Italy 28-17, lost to France 22-15 and were then awarded a 28-0 win over Fiji after that match was cancelled due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Fijian camp.
Scotland will in all likelihood finish second in Autumn Nations Cup Group B, setting up a playoff match against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, December 5.
Van der Walt will join three other fellow South Africans – WP Nel, Oli Kebble and Duhan van der Merwe – in the Scotland squad.
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