Springboks scrumhalf Faf de Klerk Photo World Rugby graphic

Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk. Photo: World Rugby.

Road to the RWC | Springbok player profile: Faf de Klerk

As part of our build-up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, we will profile each player in the Springboks’ squad. Next up: Faf de Klerk.

Springboks scrumhalf Faf de Klerk Photo World Rugby graphic

Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk. Photo: World Rugby.

Faf de Klerk is expected to be the Springboks’ No 1 scrumhalf across the 2023 Test season, which includes a Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup.

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The World Cup-winning scrumhalf currently sits on 46 Test caps and will hit the half-century mark in the Springboks’ RWC warm-up game against Argentina in Buenos Aires on 5 August (that is if he plays in the three Tests in the shortened Rugby Championship and is then selected in the friendly against Los Pumas). And it will be milestone fitting of a player who lives and breathes for Springbok rugby.

In the seven years since making his Test debut, De Klerk has been one of the most influential international players.

De Klerk was an integral part of the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup- and Lions Series-winning squads, and is widely considered to be one of the best players in the game at the moment.

LIVE UPDATES: SPRINGBOKS’ ROAD TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

ROFILE: FAF DE KLERK

Name: Francois ‘Faf’ de Klerk

Born: 19 October 1991

School: Hoërskool Waterkloof

Married to: Miné van Niekerk

Major teams: Pumas, Lions, Sale Sharks, Yokohama Canon Eagles, South Africa

Position: Scrumhalf

Height: 1.72m

Weight: 80kg

Test debut: South Africa v Ireland at Newlands in Cape Town, 11 June 2016

Springbok no.: 870

Tests played: 46

Tries scored: 5

Current club team: Yokohama Canon Eagles

All information correct as at 9 May 2023

ALSO READ | MARK YOUR CALENDAR: WHEN SPRINGBOKS WILL ANNOUNCE RWC SQUAD

Springboks
Faf de Klerk kicks at goal for the Springboks. Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix

SPRINGBOKS FIXTURES IN 2023

Rugby Championship:

✈ 8 July: Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

✈ 15 July: South Africa vs New Zealand (Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland)

✈ 29 July: Springboks vs Argentina (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)

World Cup warm-ups:

✈ 5 August: Springboks vs Argentina (Vélez Stadium, Buenos Aires)

✈ 19 August: South Africa vs Wales (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)

✈ 25 August: Springboks vs New Zealand (Twickenham Stadium, London)

Rugby World Cup:

✈ 10 September: South Africa vs Scotland (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille) 

✈ 17 September: South Africa vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux) 

✈ 23 September: South Africa vs Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis) 

✈ 1 October: South Africa vs Tonga (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)