Duhan van der Merwe is not playing for Scotland in the current context because he has been dropped for selection reasons, not due to a long‑term injury or retirement.

Quick Scoop: What’s going on?

For the high‑profile match against New Zealand at Murrayfield in November 2025, head coach Gregor Townsend left Van der Merwe out of the entire 23‑man squad for the first time in his Scotland career. This was notable because he had just scored two tries and earned his 50th cap in an 85–0 win over the United States the previous weekend.

The main reason: selection, not scandal

Townsend’s explanation was straightforward: Kyle Steyn’s “consistently strong form” on the wing earned him the starting spot instead of Van der Merwe.

Key points:

  • Van der Merwe was dropped for this specific game , not axed from Scotland permanently.
  • Townsend highlighted Steyn’s excellent performances over the current season as the deciding factor.
  • Other backline options (like Tom Jordan and Jamie Dobie) were preferred on the bench for versatility, which closed off space for Van der Merwe in the match‑day 23.

Townsend also stressed that they still expect Van der Merwe to play a part later in the series, just not in that particular All Blacks test.

Is he injured or out of favour?

Earlier in 2025, Van der Merwe had an ankle issue picked up playing for Edinburgh (against Vannes), which kept him out briefly. Scotland staff then confirmed he was fit and available again for Six Nations selection, so that knock is not a current long‑term problem.

So, putting it simply:

  • Past: short injury lay‑off (ankle), now resolved.
  • Present: dropped mainly because other wings and backs are in strong form and offer different tactical options.

How the coach and player framed it

Townsend made a point of saying:

  • This is the first time he has ever had to leave Van der Merwe out when fit.
  • Van der Merwe was understandably disappointed but trained well and backed the team.
  • They still see him as an important part of the squad going forward.

Van der Merwe himself has spoken recently about wanting to “leave a Scotland legacy” and win a Six Nations title before he retires, which underlines that he still sees his future with Scotland.

Mini forum‑style take: what fans are saying

If you look at how a typical forum thread on “why is Van der Merwe not playing for Scotland” would go, you’d likely see views like:

“He literally scored two tries last week, how is he out of the 23? Feels harsh.”

“Steyn has been unreal this season; form has to count for something. No one is undroppable.”

“Townsend loves ‘form’ and ‘cohesion’ – he’s just backing the combinations that are clicking right now.”

Most reasonable takes boil down to:

  • Tactical and form‑based call, not punishment.
  • Short‑term selection rather than a signal he’s done with Scotland.

Quick table: situation at a glance

[7][1][3] [2][5] [9][3][7]
Question Short answer
Why isn’t Van der Merwe playing vs New Zealand? Coach dropped him because Kyle Steyn’s form earned the starting wing spot and others were preferred on the bench.
Is he injured long term? No. Earlier ankle issue is resolved; he has been declared fit and available for selection.
Is he out of Scotland for good? No. Townsend expects him to feature later in the series and he still talks about a big Scotland “legacy”.
**TL;DR:** Van der Merwe is not playing for Scotland in that big game mainly because of a one‑off selection decision in favour of in‑form Kyle Steyn, not because he’s finished with Scotland or carrying a major injury.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.