Inside knowledge a benefit – or maybe not

– Star Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and flanker Francois Louw, right, will come up against players they know all too well in the World Cup final – England’s “kamikaze kids” Tom Curry and Sam Underhill.

De Klerk moved to Sale in 2017 alongside Curry, while Louw is entering his ninth season with English Premiership rivals Bath, where he packs down with Underhill.

The English duo have been the stand-out back row performers at the World Cup, powerful over the ball and capable of the dominating style of tackle coaches so like.

Insider knowledge on the two flankers was invaluable, according to Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.

“The knowledge of our players playing with those guys at the clubs is definitely going to be a bit of a benefit to us,” he said. “But on the flip side, playing with our players nullifies that a little bit.”

Other Boks playing in England include hooker Schalk Brits and prop Vincent Koch, both based at Saracens – a club that has seven players with England. Lock Franco Mostert plies his trade at Gloucester, while full-back Willie le Roux is at Wasps and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach Northampton.

“Tom has been absolutely amazing for England this year,” De Klerk said of Curry, 21. “I don’t think he’s missed one minute for them. He’s always willing to work hard and always up there with most of the stats.”

Louw said his first impressions of Underhill, 23, were that he was a softly spoken, quiet person.

“He loves a beer and I’ve joined him for many of those!” he added.

“He’s massively developed as a player. He’s refined elements of his game that came through in last week’s game, especially on defence. His ability to stop momentum in the tackle, his presence at the breakdown with poaching and jackalling the ball and just discovering what rugby’s all about.

“He’s got a massive hunger to learn and grow as a player.”

England fullback Elliot Daly said, while it was good to speak to the likes of Curry about De Klerk, “when you get into these games, you are not thinking about that”.

“It gives us a little insight but it probably gives them an insight into us as well,” he said.

Louw said: “We’ll have a good time off the field, but there’s no doubt all of us will be fighting for glory on the field this weekend.” – AFP