The former Springbok rugby player building a global Saffer network

Key topics:Flip van der Merwe joins founders to grow global South African communityThe Lekker Network connects professionals, entrepreneurs and creators worldwideVan der Merwe’s post-rugby career and Ironman journey showcase renewed purpose.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.. By Jan Vermeulen.Former Springbok lock Flip van der Merwe is helping to build a global online community of South Africans called The Lekker Network.The Lekker Network is a community designed to connect South African professionals, entrepreneurs, and dreamers worldwide.It describes itself as, “Rooted in the spirit of Ubuntu and community, we’re building an ecosystem where South Africans can thrive, collaborate, and share their stories on the global stage.” The Lekker Network says its mission is to empower South Africans everywhere by unlocking opportunities, driving connections, facilitating access to funding, and showcasing the country’s talent to the world.Guy Ellis, Madeleine Henstra, Nic Latouf, and Renier Lombard founded The Lekker Network in October last year, with Van der Merwe joining as a founding member.Born on 3 May 1985 in Potchefstroom as Phillip Rudolph van der Merwe, the almost two-meter-tall former rugby player was the son of former Springbok tighthead prop Flippie van der Merwe.Van der Merwe’s father attended Grey College in Bloemfontein and played for the Springboks between 1981 and 1989.Following in his footsteps, Van der Merwe also attended high school at Grey College. After high school, and while studying at the University of the Free State, he joined the Free State Cheetahs.He made his first class debut for them in the 2006 Vodacom Cup, eventually starting eleven matches and playing off the bench on two occasions.Van der Merwe also made his Currie Cup debut in the second half of 2006, appearing as a replacement during the competition three times.In 2007, he got his first taste of Super Rugby, starting two matches for the Cheetahs during the season.He made three appearances for the Cheetahs during the 2008 Super 14 season and also scored his first try in Super Rugby.Van der Merwe earned his B.Com in Finance and Financial Management Services in 2009. That same year, he moved to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls, where he immediately established himself as a first-choice player.He made eleven starts and two substitute appearances in the 2009 Currie Cup Premier Division, and featured for the Bulls in the 2010 Super 14 season before being called up to the Springboks..Professional rugby career.On 12 June 2010, he made his debut for the Springboks in a test match against France. Although he missed out on selection to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, he established himself as a regular.Over the next few years, Van der Merwe appeared in 36 test matches before his move to the French Top 14 side Clermont in 2015.At the same time, he became an important part of the Bulls side, making 75 appearances for the side in Super Rugby competitions between 2010 and 2015.He also featured in 39 first-class matches for the Blue Bulls between 2009 and 2012, with national team call-ups and injury preventing him from playing for them in 2013 and 2014.While playing professional rugby, Van der Merwe also served as a director of Lynnwood Investment Group, which holds investments in residential properties and other areas.Shortly before the 2015 Super Rugby season, the Bulls announced that Van der Merwe would leave after the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division to take up a contract with a French club, Clermont.He was later granted an early release from his contract and made the move to Clermont during the Currie Cup campaign, appearing for them 82 times between 2015 and 2019..Retirement from rugby.Van der Merwe retired from rugby in June 2019, moving into the business world as a consultant for CGI in France. He left CGI for Accenture in January 2021 and moved to London.He left Accenture in June 2021 to return to France as a managing partner at Level6 Consulting in the city of Biarritz.Last year was a busy one for Van der Merwe, becoming the French director of OHROS Consulting Group, and joining the board of Biarritz Olympique Rugby for a six-month stint.In June 2024, he also joined a team to help spearhead the UK and European operations of Comotion Business Solutions, a Paris-based data and analytics firm serving the financial and insurance industries.In October 2024, he joined The Lekker Network as a founding member. A year later, after meeting Private Property co-founder and former CEO Justinus Arendse through the network, he co-hosts a podcast with him..The Lekker Network.In a recent interview, Van der Merwe said he joined The Lekker Network because he believes in South Africa and South Africans.He said that wherever South Africans are in the world, they make a difference, and that he believed in expanding your network, getting to know more people, and having a bigger impact together.“It is definitely a networking environment with a different type of spice. It’s not mundane, it is alive, and there are a lot of deals going on back and forth,” he said.“Everyone you meet through the network, even if it’s just for a random discussion and there is not really business, you just feel better after such a discussion.”Van der Merwe said he believed in The Lekker Network’s mantra of, ‘How can I help you?’ because that epitomised South Africans.“We always want to help and reach a hand out. That’s something that I want to continue,” he said.“I can see The Lekker Network growing, I can see it being more stable and getting more chapters all around the world. I want to be part of that and proudly bear the flag for South Africa in a corporate sense.”Van der Merwe said there were already great businesses active in The Lekker Network and that they were seeing the results of South Africans reaching out for help and receiving it quickly..Shooting for Ironman.His move into the business world has not diminished Van der Merwe’s love of sports and the outdoors. However, like many people building their careers, he put exercise and training on the back burner.Last December, Van der Merwe found himself at 152kg and decided to make a drastic change. With the encouragement of his friend, Stephan Weyers, he set his sights on Ironman 70.3 Vichy, in France.“On 18 January, his first session wasn’t a swim or a bike, it was simply a one-hour walk,” Ironman South Africa wrote on social media.“Step by step, those walks turned into runs, rides, and swims, and before long, into a journey of discipline and self-belief. Seven months later, he was standing on the start line in France.”On race day, 24 August 2025, Van der Merwe’s goal was 6h30. He crossed the finish line in 6h36, despite cramps setting in 1km into the run.He changed his strategy and took it water station by water station, with 10 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking.“Slowly but surely, he pushed through the dark moments until he reached the bridge at 17km. That’s when he knew: he was going to finish,” Ironman South Africa said.“The relief when I crossed that bridge… knowing I’m actually going to make it. Running up the final stretch, the music pumping, the crowd cheering, and seeing my wife on the sidelines, it was emotional,” said Van der Merwe.“Stephan gave me my medal, and my first thought was: when is my next one?”.*This article was originally published by MyBroadband and has been republished with permission.

The former Springbok rugby player building a global Saffer network

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