'I expected a bit more angry Steve Diamond... but he was really calm'
Faf de Klerk couldn’t believe his eyes. There were Sale, revelling in a five-match unbeaten league run and then boom… they imploded embarrassingly at Northampton and conceded the most points in their Premiership history. Ouch.
If ever there was a time for Steve Diamond to read his players the riot act, this was it. Professional teams should never be lining up behind their posts watching an opposition attempt to convert their nine tries, but the Sale coach somehow managed to button it, to keep his peace and instead set about getting a reaction in a very different way to the 17-67 humiliation.
His unexpected approach worked, too. Sale lifted their carcass off the Franklin’s Gardens floor to sting Wasps eight days later some 30-odd miles elsewhere in the Midlands. Funny old game? You bet.
“I expected a bit more angry Steve Diamond,” said de Klerk when RugbyPass asked for an insight into the fall-out that followed the 50-point defeat which should have left the Sharks squad sheepish about collecting their week’s salary.
“He was really calm and that was basically what he said: ‘We’re going to have to put this one behind us but keep this disappointment, come in on Monday and we’re going to work through it.’
“We didn’t spend a lot of time on that game. We just focused on Wasps, just focused on what we wanted to do and that was great to just shift the focus. But in saying that, we all knew what that felt like, we knew if we weren’t going to pitch up for that game against Wasps it was probably going to happen again because they have got such attacking threats.
“But Steve was actually quite calm and got us focused quite quickly on Wasps just to keep that disappointment and make sure it doesn’t happen again. We definitely weren’t mentally switched on. They were a lot of new combinations.
“People saw familiar faces but we hadn’t played together for ages. I hadn’t played with AJ (MacGinty) for I don’t know how long. And we also came off a long break, a four-week break where we hadn’t played any rugby and the other teams had continued momentum.
“But that is all excuses, we were just not mentally up for it and Northampton were. There were some sore bodies Monday but to see the bounce back at training was amazing. We don’t always need a bounce back, we need to be more consistent. But we are still growing as a group.”
De Klerk sounds level-headed when putting his rugby into perspective, his religious beliefs playing a huge role in keeping him grounded.
“100 per cent. It’s the biggest thing that I would go to every day and every night, especially before a game. It helped me a lot coming over here (to England). You said about the pressure, I can always just say a quick prayer if I need to and I get a lot of motivation from that. Luckily enough, I feel privileged to do what I love.”
Thanx for all the messages? Very blessed to a part of this group. All honor to the Man upstairs? #special #thankful #blessed pic.twitter.com/qVaFH8TQfC
— Faf de klerk (@fafdeklerk) November 11, 2018
His faith hasn’t yet turned many heads at Sale, unlike at Ulster some years ago where Ruan Pienaar instigated a weekly Bible study session and regularly attended the Christian Fellowship Church in Belfast in the company of a number of team-mates.
“Mostly I’m on my own but we spoke about it the other day and said we might try and start something at the club, see if we can get a few guys to come and take it from there. It’s a really big thing for me and I will always stand by that, and if we can get a few guys going that would be great.
“There is not much (religious talk) in England. There was a bit more in South Africa, the people are more open to it and more used to it, especially at the Lions where we were very open about it, very religious, but not in England as much. Maybe we can get a few more people turning to the Lord more. It’s something I really hold dear to myself.”
De Klerk has every reason to feel that way. Few would have thought he would have got a Springbok recall when he decided to quit South African club rugby for life in Manchester. Seventeen months the 27-year-old went in between caps.
The game-changing call came from Rassie Erasmus, who twisted the rules enforced on him from on high to get the struggling Boks firing again from last June onwards. That resurgence swept de Klerk all the way to a World Player of the Year award nomination.
“Amazing. I must say I did not expect to get that call, especially with the 30-cap rule that was going on (for overseas-based players). That was real special. Going back it showed that I was worthy of being there. He [Erasmus] had put his trust in me, so I needed to perform. Luckily it came off in the end and hopefully I can continue to be in the squad, but I need to play well for my club and be worthy of being there again.
“Rassie’s a great character. He loves the jersey, loves South Africa. He wants to make people proud of us again and he has the knack to just create something special again in the group.”
Manchester is becoming a home from home for fellow itchy-footed South Africans looking to pocket some Sterling rather than the Rand. Only this past week in the lead-up to Saturday’s latest Premiership fixture, a home match versus Exeter, the club revealed it had snapped up out-half Robert du Perez and hooker Akker van der Merwe from the Durban-based Sharks on three-year deals.
De Klerk’s flowing blond locks make him one of world rugby’s more readily identifiable players, but his distinctive mane never comes up in conversation when he attends events such as last Wednesday night’s Gallagher-sponsored Train With Your Heroes session at Lymm RFC under-15s.
“They have confidence coming here that it is a good environment to come into. I know where we want to go as a club and I know Dimes [Diamond], everything he says he comes through on, just the focus on where we are going to take the club and the ambition we have. It’s good for a player to come here and see how he can push himself. For me being here, it shows you can grow your rugby, enjoy being here and enjoy being yourself. It’s a good attraction.”
A very open discussion with @DennySolomona in @RugbyPass about coping with mistakes and depression. It’s important to hear from someone successful that #ItsOkNotToBeOk and everyone makes mistakes. Thank you for sharing Denny #MentalHealthAwareness https://t.co/5ZAB8FzBlJ
— Sale FC Rugby (@SaleFC) March 1, 2019
“It’s always good to see the kids smiling, playing around and asking you all these questions. It’s always really good fun and I enjoy it. Quite a lot of what I’m asked is how do I tackle big guys because I am so small (5ft 8ins). I get asked that quite a lot.
“I normally just say I go in as hard as I can and catch them unexpected. With most big guys nothing is going to be easy, so just run in as hard as possible.”
That’s an aggressive approach that has served de Klerk very well.
In other news: Leinster’s Leo Cullen speaks about the possibility of securing a PRO14 home semi
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments