SCOTTISH WARRIORS
OVING HOUSE is rarely, if ever, without stress. Even for top rugby stars. For Scotland’s Rory Sutherland and Duhan van der Merwe, their relocation from Edinburgh to Worcester had the added complication of them being away for two months over the summer with the British & Irish Lions.
“I had a bit of trouble getting a house in the first instance,” recalls Sutherland, who played in the first two Lions Tests against South Africa. “In England you have to view the property to buy it or rent it, so I was trying to explain the situation that I was in South Africa and my family were in Scotland, and I wouldn’t be back for two months.”
The prop ended up staying with Warriors head of strength and conditioning David Drake for a week before moving in with England centre Ollie Lawrence while his family stayed in Scotland. He has now bought a house – a few doors down from Lawrence – and he, wife Tammy and sons Hamish and Mason should all be moving in after Scotland’s autumn Internationals.
“It’s been tough being away from them again after being away with the Lions – I’m sick of looking at myself in the small box (on video calls) – but it won’t be long until we’re together again,” he says. The move hasn’t been quite as tricky for van der Merwe, although he’s still renting while his house is built – it
