Faf de Klerk has not played since suffering a recurrence of a hip injury in the Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks last October.
In good news, though, the Bok star has made a quicker than expected recovery, and Sale Sharks coach Alex Sanderson has suggested he could now pick De Klerk for Sunday’s away English Premiership match against Harlequins.
“He is up for selection, buzzing around, a little ball of blonde energy around the training ground. He is in good form.
“I got told two weeks on Sunday and four weeks on Monday – that was just the medical team wanting a pat on the back in front of the coaches, so I think it is two or three weeks ahead of schedule.”
REMINDER: This is how we rated Faf at Test level last year:
The Springboks’ first-choice scrumhalf missed the end-of-year tour, which deprived him of the opportunity to end a “mixed bag” season on a high note.
De Klerk in fact only started in six Tests as a result of injury problems, which first surfaced during the British & Irish Lions tour, and saw him miss the first two Tests against Argentina.
The 30-year-old often finds himself at the centre of criticism related to the Boks’ prolific kicking game, but the importance of his role in the Bok setup should not be devalued.
His reliable left boot adds variety to the Springboks’ options, while his speed and fearlessness makes him a real weapon in the defensive system.
De Klerk’s speed of service was particularly integral to the Bok cause when they struck an impressive balance to their play in the final Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks.
An enforced break from action may well prove to be beneficial for De Klerk, and there’s little doubt that he will reclaim the Bok No 9 jersey when the next Test season rolls around.
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