Durban - Springboks have a plan to contain the world’s best rugby player, Antoine Dupont, on Saturday night in Marseille, and leading the defence will be his opposite number Faf de Klerk.
The feisty De Klerk is back at No 9 after a period on the bench behind Jaden Hendrikse and he said the Boks had learned a few things from how the Wallabies last week put pressure on Dupont, the World Rugby Player of the Year, and the man at the heart of France’s renaissance on the rugby pitch (they are tipped to win the World Cup on their home soil next year).
“If you look at the way they play, they want to keep their big forwards close to Dupont — they don’t play a lot off flyhalf,” De Klerk said from Marseille.
“They have their big ball carriers coming around the corner to get them on the front foot and that opens up holes for him.
“He is difficult to contain because he is very quick and physically strong, but we have some clever forwards who can hopefully stop him,” De Klerk explained.
“Australia put him under some pressure and hopefully we can get to him too, but he is playing in a great side and is full of confidence, so for him, it seems to be a continued upward trajectory, but we believe we can get him on the back foot, something he is not used to yet, and put him under serious pressure.”
The 31-year-old De Klerk will win his 40th cap for South Africa on Saturday and he said he is delighted to be once more pulling the No 9 jersey over his back.
“It means a heck of a lot to me,” De Klerk admitted with a broad smile. “This year has been up and down for me (with injury, concussion, and drop in form). Being picked to start once more has given me that realisation again of what the jersey means to me.
“Playing off the bench in the last few games meant I had a different role, and I was happy to do it because it is all about the team and the job that has to be done, but starting means a lot and it is up to me to stay there and keep pushing for it going forward.”
De Klerk will initially be partnered at flyhalf by Damian Willemse but Manie Libbok is certain to make his debut in the second half and De Klerk said the Stormers’ man is more than up to the task.
“What I enjoy about Manie is his self-confidence. He is humble off the field but on it, he knows what he must do. He makes his calls and he leads; a 10 must always have
confidence in what he says and does and Manie is a young guy that tells the other players what to do.
“He is not shy, he does not hold back and it makes my job easier when the flyhalf knows what he wants.
“Manie has been playing amazing rugby over the last two years and fully deserves this opportunity to show what he can on the international stage. He is a little nervous but I can see that he will not struggle under the pressure.”
@MikeGreenaway67