'Maybe I need a chest protector... it was a big old slap (from Sinckler) and it wasn't necessary at all'
Springbok scrum-half Faf de Klerk is honing his survival skills in the English Premiership in preparation for South Africa’s bid for World Cup glory in Japan, but admits being slapped in the chest by England prop Kyle Sinckler took intimidation to a new level.
De Klerk has enjoyed an incredible run of success for club and country having been recalled by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus in June last year.
However, it has made opponents desperate to put the 5ft 7in half-back off his game. De Klerk is finding himself buried under bodies, regularly taken marginally late by tacklers and held down. He is also generally messed about to try and negate his influence on matches for Sale in the Premiership and in the 10 Springbok Test matches he has played since returning from the international wilderness.
Sinckler’s frustration with the live-wire Sale scrum-half saw him suddenly thump de Klerk in the chest during Harlequins loss at the AJ Bell Stadium last Friday night, earning the volatile England prop a yellow card and leaving his diminutive opponent wondering if extra padding might be a good option.
“Maybe I do need a chest protector after that because it was a big old slap. It was not necessary at all and that was the point the referee was making, but it wasn’t dangerous,” said the Springbok.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv6H70ig9IJ/
Of more concern to de Klerk is the premeditated off-the-ball antics of opponents and he believes the lessons he is learning with Sale in the Premiership and in the European Challenge Cup, where they face La Rochelle in the semi-finals, will be useful when it comes to spearheading South Africa’s World Cup challenge.
De Klerk, who faces Worcester in the Premiership on Saturday, said: “It has been a bit worse and it is good experience for me to deal with guys putting me under pressure and I need to find ways to work around it.
“Against Quins, guys were diving at my knees for no apparent reason and that does get frustrating but referees are picking up when things do get a bit crazy. I can always talk to the ref and I try to have a good relationship with them if something is really bothering me.
“What is also good is that we are getting really quick ball from our pack in the last few games and that means it is tougher to put pressure on me.”
A concern for Springbok fans will be the amount of rugby de Klerk is playing – if Sale do not reach the play-off he will still have played 28 matches since last June heading into the World Cup warm-ups.
Sale boss Steve Diamond has been working with his most successful import to ensure he remains a massive influence and de Klerk insists the chance to play in the biggest rugby tournament in the world will counter any feelings of fatigue.
“Hopefully, after the Premiership season we can get a bit of a break. I had a bit of break after the June Tests – or was there? I had a break somewhere and it has been a long period, but I’m lucky to have people looking after me and Steve has kept the load down by giving me a week off in the season so I’m not feeling too bad.
“I will be fine for the World Cup if I’m selected because there is a decent break and I won’t be playing while some of the guys will still be involved in Super Rugby and I should be well rested. If I’m lucky enough to be picked for the World Cup then excitement will take over and it won’t matter how you feel.
“I have always tried to play this way and it has always come naturally to me on the field. You get one opportunity, so you should use it. Obviously, I also need to go 100 per cent because of my size and I have to out-run opponents rather than running over them. I just try and guide the team and get the excitement going.
Now this is a proper #throwbackthursday . Playing a warmup game for the Pumas vs Sharks?Is that a high tackle @PieterSteph ? pic.twitter.com/RWerRkmip1
— Faf de klerk (@fafdeklerk) February 21, 2019
“There is a chance of us making fourth place in the Premiership and it is definitely in our hands. Exeter, Saracens and Gloucester are too far ahead but we can still catch Harlequins if they slip up. If we don’t end up being in the play-offs then we need to be top six to get into the Champions Cup.
“We head to La Rochelle in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and going there will be a brand new experience. They are a massive side up front, so it will be physical. Hopefully we can run them around the park.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Starts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
2 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
2 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
87 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to comments