Faf de Klerk will finally pull on a Cheetahs jersey in competitive rugby this weekend, with the two-time World Cup winner named to start at scrum-half in Bloemfontein’s Currie Cup opener against the Lions.
According to team news confirmed by the Cheetahs on Wednesday, de Klerk partners veteran flyhalf Jaco van der Walt in an experienced half-back pairing for Sunday’s Toyota Stadium clash, with head coach Frans Steyn naming a settled pack led by captain Neels Volschenk at number eight. The 34-year-old joined from Japan’s Canon Eagles, and Sunday finally brings his long-heralded Cheetahs homecoming into a match that counts.
Neels Volschenk Wary Of Dangerous Lions
Steyn, overseeing a Free State side rebuilt around several senior signings for the new Currie Cup campaign, struck a confident tone despite a stop-start pre-season. “I’m positive about the season. We had a couple of injuries, but most of the players are back. Everyone is fit and training, and there’s a good vibe in the camp,” he said.
The Lions arrive at Toyota Stadium as last season’s beaten finalists, and Steyn is under no illusions about the size of the task. “The Lions are a quality outfit and are well coached. We can only control what is in our hands: preparing and executing our plans well,” he added.
Volschenk, leading a Cheetahs side built around de Klerk’s arrival, echoed his coach’s respect for the visitors but called Sunday’s tie the perfect measuring stick. “It doesn’t matter which team the Lions select; they are talented players with good coaches. It is a good opportunity to measure yourself against the Lions in the opening game of the season,” he said.
With the Currie Cup season also getting under way in Mbombela and Cape Town this week, de Klerk’s first outing in Bloemfontein colours is one of the weekend’s most-watched storylines.
