Faf de Klerk

Faf de Klerk is one of rugby union's top stars. A strong and powerful scrum-half, he's notched several notable performances for South Africa and Sale over the years and notably won the Rugby World Cup with his country in 2019.

Born on 19 October 1991, Faf de Klerk played rugby at high school in Pretoria. After his talents were spotted, he represented both the Blue Bulls and the Golden Lions at youth level. Following this, he joined the Pumas and competed in the Currie Cup from 2012 to 2015.

In 2014, Faf de Klerk was selected for the Lions squad in Super Rugby. He played for the Lions for four years, putting in some outstanding performances for the side in his 65 appearances. Following his successful stint with the Lions, he signed for the Sale Sharks in 2017, where he has stayed ever since. During this period, he's been a talisman for the side in the Premiership and European competitions.

Due to his form in Super Rugby for the Lions, Faf de Klerk was first selected to represent South Africa in 2016. Although he was briefly ineligible to play for the national team after he signed for Sale, a rule change in 2018 saw his return to the squad. Since, he's never looked back and he's now a mainstay in the team.

After being an integral part of South Africa's victorious 2019 Rugby Championship campaign, Faf de Klerk was selected for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and he started in the final, which South Africa won 32-12.

With many years of professional rugby ahead of him, we can't wait to see what other honours Faf de Klerk can pick up during his career.