Faf de Klerk reveals future plans: ‘Hopefully this setback will prolong my career’

Double World Cup winning Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk says he hopes to prolong his international career for as long as possible, and he is targeting at least another two years of playing at the highest level with the Boks.

De Klerk is currently out with a thigh injury that is reportedly set to keep him out of rugby for the remainder of the year, but despite that he hopes to return to the national side once he has recovered and continue representing the Boks.

The 32-year-old was speaking at a Castle Lager event in Kyalami on Wednesday afternoon, where he was quizzed on whether he believed he would make the next Rugby World Cup in 2027.

Body dependent

“I have no idea how long I have left in my career, it’s pretty much body dependent. As long as the body keeps going, I’ll probably keep going,” explained De Klerk, who is now 32.

“Before this injury I actually felt really, really good and young again on the field, so I don’t want to tempt fate by putting a date on it, but I really don’t know … at least another two years.

“I’m getting a bit older and I haven’t really been injured in my career so I am using this time to spend more time with family and to try and sort the rest of my body out where there are niggles and aches and pains.

“It’s really not great not to be out there (on the field) but there are other positives as well which I tend to lean on more. I can see the positives to it and can hopefully prolong my career a bit more.”

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When asked about the extent of his injury, De Klerk expertly dodged the question as he refused to give an estimated recovery time, while he also admitted that it just seemed to pop up after an accumulation of smaller injuries.

“I’m seeing a specialist at the moment, but I’m not sure how long (I will be out). But it is looking positive. I’m not really sure when I will return yet, so I don’t really want to say unless I know. It is looking positive and I’m feeling good,” said De Klerk.

All Blacks

With De Klerk definitely out of the Boks’ next two games against the All Blacks, at Ellis Park and Cape Town Stadium, De Klerk said the team would be gunning for the win, especially after they slipped up in their last home game against them.

In 2022 De Klerk was unlucky to be knocked out at the start of the Boks’ 26-10 win over the All Blacks at Mbombela Stadium, and he was subsequently ruled out of the second Test at Ellis Park, with the hosts going down 35-23 in that match.

“They are definitely going to chat about it, and they will definitely speak about how we were dominant in that Ellis Park game and we still managed to lose at the end. The message will be to not let the pressure off at any point and to stick to what we do well,” said De Klerk.

“It is going to be tough, no matter where or how we play them. But now we also have that edge where we can also come back from behind. On that day it will be who is willing to keep on fighting.”