Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk has been praised for another typically industrious performance to kickstart his Cheetahs career.
The veteran No 9 earned rave reviews from captain Neels Volschenk after helping steer the Free Staters to a hard-fought 29-27 victory over the Lions in their Currie Cup opener in Bloemfontein.
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Volschenk had no hesitation when asked about De Klerk’s first outing in orange.
“Personally, I think he was our best player on the field today,” the Cheetahs skipper said.
“He got us onto the front foot, and even his kicking game was outstanding.”
According to Volschenk, De Klerk’s game management and experience made an immediate difference to the Cheetahs.
“He identified space really well and kicked into the corners and backfield, which helped us a lot.”
The influence of the two-time World Cup winner extended well beyond his technical skills.
“His communication and presence on the field also help the guys a lot, and we’re very happy to have him here at the Cheetahs.”
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While De Klerk’s debut was one of the major positives, coach Frans Steyn believes there’s still plenty of work to do despite opening the campaign with a victory.
The former Springbok admitted he wasn’t completely satisfied with the performance and wants improvements in several areas before Friday’s clash against the Sharks.
“We haven’t played rugby for three or four weeks,” Steyn said.
“We’re going to have to sort things out very quickly if we really want to dominate this competition.”
Steyn also highlighted defence, lineouts and costly errors as areas requiring attention ahead of another tough assignment in Bloemfontein.
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Photo: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images
The post ‘Faf was our best player’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk has been praised for another typically industrious performance to kickstart his Cheetahs career.
The post ‘Faf was our best player’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
