Lions hooker Akker van der Merwe has joined the Sharks on a two-year deal.

Van der Merwe made his Super Rugby debut for the Lions in 2014 and earned 38 caps for the franchise.

However, with Malcolm Marx having secured his place as the Lions’ first-choice hooker, Van der Merwe was mostly used as an impact player off the bench this season.

The 26-year-old will be hoping for more starting opportunities at the Sharks, where he will compete with Chiliboy Ralepelle and Franco Marais for the No 2 jersey.

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