'He comes across more as a running back than a rugby player' - Brian O'Driscoll

August 11, 2021
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Ultimate Rugby

Brian O'Driscoll is unconvinced by Scotland and Lions' winger Duhan van der Merwe despite his three Test starts against South Africa.

Gatland was clearly impressed with the physical winger who started all three test matches and despite his impressive stats, O'Driscoll isn't convinced about his test qualities.

515 - Duhan van der Merwe gained 515 metres for the @lionsofficial in 2021, 205 more than 2nd placed Josh Adams (310); he also topped the charts for defenders beaten (36), clean breaks (12), post-contact metres (267) and came in second for tries (5). Trusted. pic.twitter.com/56J1gVrTbC
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) August 11, 2021

Speaking to Monday Night Rugby, O'Driscoll said: "With van der Merwe, the jury is still out with me on him but at least he was busy looking for work and trying to carry ball. To me, he comes across more as a running back than a rugby player.

"He is destructive, he is not going to pass it - but big and physical teams know how to match that. He couldn't impose himself on them because they're used to guys of his size coming at them."

He added that Finn Russell coming on for the final Test was the only way to change things up.

"We'll never know if things would have changed up dramatically with Dan Biggar, it didn't look like they were going to in the first 10 minutes. The fact that we got Finn Russell coming on was the only way we were going to change things up because I don't think he knows how to play any other way.

"Biggar can play a more expansive game, he does for Wales and has done for Northampton. He mixes his game up really well, he doesn't play as flat to the line as Finn Russell but not many do.

"Rewind back a month, it was all Biggar. Finn was one of the 'lucky' ones to get into this party, even though he deserved it, in my opinion.

"Ultimately, he wasn't a shoo-in, whereas Biggar was and it was about Dan Biggar and Owen Farrell at 10, not Finn Russell. They thought they could limp across the line doing the same again and they got their comeuppance."