Faf De Klerk Addresses Springboks Retirement Speculation As France Showdown Looms
- Faf de Klerk revealed what would make him consider retiring from international rugby, speaking candidly about his Springboks future
- The 34-year-old scrum-half was again left out of the matchday squad as South Africa prepared to face France in Paris
- De Klerk signed a two-year deal with the Cheetahs to stay in contention for a spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup
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Double Rugby World Cup winner Faf de Klerk has spoken candidly about his Springboks future, saying he would only consider walking away from the game when his love for it disappears.
The 34-year-old scrum-half has found himself on the periphery of Rassie Erasmus's plans, with no place in the matchday 23 for Friday's Nations Championship fixture against France in Paris.
De Klerk Determined to Fight for His Place
Morne van den Berg will start at scrum-half, while fellow World Cup winner Cobus Reinach has been named among the replacements. The two changes from the side that defeated Italy 66-7 see Reinach take the bench spot previously held by Grant Williams.
Speaking at a Springboks training camp earlier this year, De Klerk made clear that his hunger for international rugby remained intact.
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"It's obviously an amazing feeling once again," he told Planet Rugby. "I think that once you lose that feeling, you should rather stop."
He added that everything he did at club level was aimed at proving his continued value to the national setup. "Everything I try and do at my club is to prove that I'm still good enough to be here and want to be here."
De Klerk returned to the national training environment in June after missing a significant stretch of South Africa's recent international schedule.
One More World Cup in His Sights
The veteran has not given up on making a third Rugby World Cup, having already won the tournament twice with the Springboks. Speaking to Fullview in June, he said: "I am fully going for that spot, but if they want to go a different direction, I'll be supporting all the way."
To strengthen his case, De Klerk returned to South Africa and signed a two-year contract with the Cheetahs. Former Springboks lock Victor Matfield has publicly supported his credentials, suggesting his performances for the Cheetahs had brought him close to a recall.
Erasmus, for his part, has been transparent about his selection philosophy ahead of 2027. "We are working towards the World Cup, and we want to make sure when we get there we've looked at everybody," the head coach told Planet Rugby in June.
For now, De Klerk must watch from the stands as the Springboks take on France, with the window to press his case narrowing as the 2027 tournament draws closer.
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Source: Briefly News
