From the "heartbeat" of the Lions to a double World Cup winner and global icon, Faf de Klerk has officially signed a two-year deal with the Free State Cheetahs. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
COMMENT
It must have been 2016.
I recall the setting: Ellis Park, perched above the lower south stand in the then-Touchdown restaurant. It was a Super Rugby clash — likely against the Sunwolves or one of the less-than-impressive Australian outfits — judging by the cavernous stands and the sparse crowd sharing the space with my cohorts and me.
Save, of course, for one questionable character in an deceptively-looking expensive-fitting grey suit, entertaining equally questionable company. A "hairdresser", she claimed to be, and that is the story we’ll be sticking to.
He identified himself, quite proudly, as De Klerk’s agent, raving about the then-23-24-25-year-old. His dubious credentials only invited raised eyebrows, but who could blame him for wanting to be close to the source?
It was clear even then that De Klerk was destined for the Green and Gold. During those heady days at the Lions, he was the heartbeat and the mongrel of Johan Ackermann’s Johannesburg revolution.
As dodgy as the gentleman’s assertions were, we could only nod in agreement with his assessment of Faf. Everyone wanted a bit of that reflected shine. Lions fans certainly claimed the Mbombela-born half-back as their own — a true product of The Pride.
It was a bitter pill to swallow in 2017 then, when De Klerk announced he was leaving for the Sale Sharks. "At least it isn’t the Sharks in Durban," many consoled themselves.
In the years that followed, De Klerk became a cult figure in Manchester, just as he had in Johannesburg. He was described in glowing terms as a crucial component of the Sale DNA, eventually leaving England as a soon-to-be double Rugby World Cup winner and a global icon.
His subsequent stint in Japan with the Yokohama Canon Eagles was unfortunately marred by injury, perhaps signalling the toll that "mongrel" style of play can take. De Klerk’s recent signing with the Free State Cheetahs — on a two year deal — might have come as a surprise, but it speaks to a deeper desire to return home. However, it is also perhaps the clearest indication yet that the clock is ticking on a remarkable career.
Having now stuffed his "budgie smugglers" into his suitcase, it will be good to see his golden locks swishing this way and that more often on South African rugby fields. At 34-years old, and with 60 Test under his wing — many will argue that De Klerk still has a few years to give the game at both domestic and Test level.
It is for this reason that I hope — just as I had hoped he would become a Bok back in the mid-2010s — that the move to the Cheetahs is more about player management than a winding down of ambition.
After all, there is a new generation of scrumhalves that desperately need the wisdom and experience of a worldly mentor — a function De Klerk can certainly and easily fulfil in Rassie Erasmus’ Bok setup.
With 2027 on the horizon, "One more go for Faf" will certainly be my slogan in the coming weeks.