‘Buzz saw’ Faf ignites Springbok revival
TRUST the colourful Eddie Jones to come up with the perfect description of Faf de Klerk’s Man of the Match performance in the Springboks’ epic 42-39 defeat of England at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Boks showed immense character to overcome a nightmare start to the game that saw them go 3-24 behind before a magnificent comeback that largely centred on the scrumhalf.
“Faf was a little buzz saw,” England coach Jones said. “He was excellent – quick to the ball, he shifted it quickly, and picked up his runners well. Then you have someone like Willie le Roux who is dangerous whenever he gets front-foot ball. The two wingers also looked as if they could run as fast as Usain Bolt, so it’s a really dangerous back three that the Boks have.”
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus was equally impressed with live wire De Klerk and the other overseas players he brought back into the fold in Le Roux and No 8 Duane Vermeulen, who was simply colossal.
“Some people thought we were taking a chance in bringing back a guy like Faf, but what he brought to the game was fantastic,” Erasmus enthused. There were plenty of players who got a tick behind their name.”
De Klerk himself said that the match had meant a lot to him as a recalled Bok after a year in the international wilderness (he has been playing for Sale Sharks in England since leaving the Lions).
“I was really just excited to be out there again,” he said. “When we started fighting back after being 21 points behind, the team suddenly realised how we want to play and what they are capable of. The guys were running over players, hitting them back, the wings were stepping and scoring tries. So I just fed off that energy, and hoped to bring some of my own.”
For the full 80 minutes De Klerk wore his heart on his sleeve as he repeatedly made himself the catalyst for attacks, not to mention on defence throwing himself at England forwards twice his size.
“I felt quite calm,” De Klerk said despite the frenzy all around him during the match. “I don’t think my style of play has changed that much, but perhaps my game management is a bit better… there’s also some experience that I’ve gained overseas, so I was a bit more confident and calm, which al- ways helps,” he said.
De Klerk was replaced by Ivan van Zyl towards the end of the match because he was suffering from cramps (no surprise there given his monumental effort in sprinting to ruck after ruck to clear the ball). It was the same for Le Roux, who was substituted by Warrick Gelant, while Handré Pollard came off because of a shoulder niggle.
The two camps now turn their attention to Saturday’s second Test in Bloemfontein. The Boks are already in the Free state capital while Eng- land have travelled back to their sea-level base in Umhlanga Rocks to prepare.
De Klerk says the second Test will be even tougher for the Boks given that Jones will go to school on the performances of the new caps in the Bok team this week. Players such as wings S’bu Nkosi and Aphiwe Dyantyi, both of whom excelled, as well as some of the lesser known players to him, such as outside centre Lukhanyo Am.
“We know a bit more about England now and they know a bit more about us,” the scrum- half pointed out. “We had a few debutants – guys they haven’t really seen play. So I think it is going to even it out a bit more. I think it is going to get tougher,” De Klerk added.
It was a trimmed down Springbok squad who travelled to Bloemfontein yesterday before Saturday’s second Test against England.
Coach Erasmus’s initial squad of 42 for the Tests against Wales and England last week became 40 because of the injuries to Montpellier-based former Boks Frans Steyn and Bismarck du Plessis and now, after the victory over England in the first Test, Erasmus has culled a further seven players.
Released to their Super Rugby franchises are: Ox Nche, Jason Jenkins, Kwagga Smith, Nizaam Carr, Travis Ismaiel, Curwin Bosch and Cameron Wright.
Also out of the squad is the unfortunate tighthead prop Trevor Nyakane.
He was originally picked to start at Ellis Park but suffered a rib injury in training and failed a late fitness test. He has now been withdrawn from the squad.