BOK ON THE BLOCK

THE Stormers look set for a clash against rookie Springbok hooker Marnus van der Merwe when they face Scarlets in Friday's 8.45pm United Rugby Championship match in Llanelli, Wales.

According to BBC Sport, Van der Merwe will be roped into the Scarlets’ matchday squad after returning from Bok duty and helping South Africa win a historic back-to-back Rugby Championship title.

Van der Merwe, 28, was a surprise selection in coach Rassie Erasmus’ Bok squad this season.

He made his starting Bokke debut and scored two tries in SA’s 55-10 win against Georgia in Van der Merwe’s home town of Nelspruit in July.

He also played off the bench in two Rugby Championship wins against Australia (30-22) innie Kaap and the All Blacks (43-10) in Wellington, New Zealand.

However, Scarlets are in a fight to hold on to the Bok rookie, BBC Sport reported, with Van der Merwe’s contract set to run out at the end of this season.

Apparently, Munster, a few French clubs, as well as teams in Mzansi, want to sign the latest Bok recruit.

Scarlets, who along with fellow Welsh clubs Ospreys, Dragons and Cardiff, face uncertain futures, currently have no bargaining chip to keep yster players like Van der Merwe on their books.

That is because the Welsh Rugby Union are set to axe one of the teams at the end of the current URC season.

But Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel is not ready to give up his star hooker and said: “There will probably be interest in Marnus, there’s no doubt about that. Hopefully, things will work out and he will be able to stay longer, but who knows at this present stage.”

Meanwhile, Stormers coach John Dobson will announce his team to tackle Scarlets on Thursday.