Free State Rugby confirmed that the Toyota Cheetahs hooker, Marnus van der Merwe, will leave the side in June to join the Scarlets in Wales.  

Marnus joined the Toyota Academy straight out of school. He earned his way up the ranks, playing for the Toyota Cheetahs U. 19 and U. 21 teams. He has played in 63 first-rank matches (to date) for the Toyota Cheetahs, including PRO14, the EPCR Challenge, the Currie Cup, and the Toyota Challenge. He was part of the victorious 2023 Currie Cup winning team.  

The stalwart has earned rave reviews and was recently included in the Springbok ‘alignment camp.’

The Toyota Cheetahs will play in a warm-up match against the Griquas on Saturday, 9 March, in Jacobsdal. Their SA Cup campaign kicks off on Friday, 22 March, against Boland in Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein.