Edwill van der Merwe Welcomes Newborn as the Springbok Baby Boom Continues
- Edwill van der Merwe and his wife Nadine have welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Luka
- Several Springboks have become parents this year, continuing a wave of new arrivals in the squad
- Van der Merwe has returned home from the Autumn Nations Series, leaving the team with fewer players available for the upcoming Wales Test
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The Springboks' baby boom shows no signs of slowing down, with yet another member of the squad celebrating fatherhood after welcoming his first child. In recent weeks, several players have embraced new additions to their families.
Source: Getty Images
The most-capped Bok, Eben Etzebeth, and his wife, Anlia, welcomed their second child in October 2025, while Handré Pollard and his wife, Marise, also celebrated the arrival of baby number two in the same month.
Veteran fly-half and 2023 Rugby World Cup winner Faf de Klerk added to the growing list when he announced the birth of his latest little one in November.
Edwill van der Merwe has now joined the wave of Springboks marking special family moments this year. The fleet-footed wing and his wife, Nadine, have stepped into parenthood for the first time, welcoming a baby boy named Luka. Sharing the news on Instagram over the weekend, Van der Merwe revealed that he and his wife are embracing life as first-time parents.
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The Springbok accompanied the announcement with tender photos of himself holding his newborn son, along with a touching first family portrait showing the trio together. Other images offered fans a glimpse into baby Luka’s nursery.
“New parents on the block,” he captioned the heartfelt post.
Warm reactions from friends and family online
The announcement was met with an outpouring of love from friends, teammates and supporters on Instagram. Among the congratulatory messages were:
@vincenttshituka:
“Congratulations, guys, this is massive. Blessings to your family.”
@ethanhooker:
“Congrats, guys.”
@moodie_13:
“Congratulations, my brother. Blessings.”
@salmaanmoerat
“Congratulations, roomz.”
@beverleydutoit:
“Welcome, sweet darling. Congratulations to all family.”
@zeephomnisi:
“Congratulations, brother. Enjoy these moments, they fly by pretty quick.”
@layla_kolbe:
“Yay, congratulations.”
Source: Getty Images
Squad concerns as Van der Merwe exits Bok camp
Van der Merwe, who had been part of the squad for the ongoing Autumn Nations Series but returned to South Africa following the birth of his son. He isn’t the only player to leave camp, leaving the Springboks with a rapidly shrinking pool of available options for the Test against Wales on Saturday, 29 November, in Cardiff.
Thomas du Toit (Bath), Boan Venter (Edinburgh) and RG Snyman (Leinster) are among those who may miss the fixture, while Japan-based players, including Manie Libbok, could also be recalled before the weekend.
The Boks are already without Kurt-Lee Arendse, who suffered a concussion during the match against Italy. Coach Rassie Erasmus must still decide whether to attempt to recall Van der Merwe or continue with the current squad for the final Test.
Local players remain available after SA Rugby and URC franchises agreed on compensation for the additional 2025 fixture, the team’s 15th Test in a demanding calendar. According to Rapport, the Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks will each receive around R285,000 per Springbok selected. Those not included in the Cardiff squad will rejoin their clubs as URC preparations intensify.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu fires back after ‘windgat’ claims
Briefly News previously reported that Springbok sensation Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has fired a pointed response at critics who have branded him “arrogant” and “windgat”, turning the noise into fuel after another standout performance for South Africa.
He posted a carousel of match moments on Instagram on Saturday, the very incidents that had dominated online chatter.
Source: Briefly News
