At the start of the 2025 season, it has already become clear how tricky the balancing act can be in terms of blending experience with a necessary injection of youth, and one of the first members of the Springboks’ ‘golden era’ of World Cup winners to fall by the wayside is Faf de Klerk.
The Springboks’ blonde-haired dynamo is now 33-years-old, and although he is far from finished, it has become evident that the Springboks are beginning to look at other (younger) options at scrumhalf.
Grant Williams has emerged as the first choice, while Morne van den Berg has also enjoyed a breakthrough year.
What is interesting, though, is that the Springbok coaches have continued to keep one veteran scrumhalf in the group, Cobus Reinach, who will turn 36-years-old early next year.
It’s not abundantly clear whether it’s fitness issues or inconsistent form that have seen the Springboks opt to release De Klerk, who did feature off the bench against Italy and Georgia earlier this year before being ‘dropped’.
The Springboks have headed on their upcoming tour to New Zealand with Williams, Reinach and Van den Berg as their three scrumhalves, and it’s the latter who is due for for another opportunity after impressing with a two-try Man of the Match display in the first Test against Italy in early July.
Perhaps De Klerk will be considered for the final two Tests of the Rugby Championship against Argentina, but whatever the case may be, it’s clear that whenever he does receive another opportunity for the Springboks, it will be a case of fighting for his place and to prove that he still has more to offer.
Faf de Klerk is still ‘missing’ from the latest Springbok squad:
Forwards: Lood de Jager, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Marnus van der Merwe, Marco van Staden, Boan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Jasper Wiese.
Backs: Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse.
DO YOU THINK THE BOKS NEED A CHANGE OF THINKING AT SCRUMHALF?
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