Faf de Klerk


François 'Faf' de Klerk is a South African professional rugby union player. He plays as a scrum-half for Sale Sharks in the English Premiership and for the South Africa national team, He was a member of the South Africa team that won the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Pre Professional Career

De Klerk played rugby at Hoërskool Waterkloof in Pretoria.

Early career

De Klerk was included in the squad for the 2014 Super Rugby season and made his debut in a 21–20 victory over the in Bloemfontein.
He joined the Currie Cup team for the 2016 season.
He joined English Premiership side Sale Sharks prior to the 2017–18 season on a three-year contract. In December 2018, the club announced that De Klerk signed a contract extension until 2023.

International Career

De Klerk was rewarded for his Super Rugby form when he was selected by the recently appointed Springbok coach Allister Coetzee in ’s 31-man squad for their 2016 three-test match series against and made his test debut as the starting scrum-half in the opening test at Newlands Stadium. In a tightly-fought series, Ireland won the first test 26−20, but the Springboks fought back to clinch the series, winning 32−26 in Johannesburg and 19−13 in Port Elizabeth.
After signing for Sale Sharks in 2017, De Klerk was ineligible to represent the Springboks due to having fewer than 30 caps. However, after this selection criterion was abolished in 2018, new Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus recalled De Klerk to the team for the 2018 three-test match series against.
He was an important member of South Africa's victorious 2019 Rugby Championship campaign and was duly selected for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. In their 20 October quarter-final match against Japan, he was named Player of the Match. He was a key player for South Africa's World Cup victory, being named as the starting scrum-half in two of their pool matches, as well as all their play-off games. He scored a try in their quarter-final win over.
Faf was once again included as the starting scrum-half against England in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final, which saw South Africa beating England 32-12. The Springboks lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time.