Boks have inside knowledge of 'kamikaze kids'
Star Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and flanker Francois Louw will come up against players they know all too well in the form of England's “kamikaze kids” Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, when the two nations clash in the Japan Rugby World Cup final.
De Klerk moved to Sale in 2017 alongside Curry, while Louw is entering his ninth season with English Premiership rivals Bath, where he packs down with Underhill.
The English duo have been the standout back-row performers at the World Cup so far.
They have been powerful over the ball and both are capable of delivering dominating tackles.
Insider knowledge of the two flankers is invaluable, according to Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.
“The knowledge of our players playing with those guys at the clubs is definitely going to be a bit of a benefit to us,” he said.
“But on the flipside for them, playing with our players nullifies that a little bit.”
De Klerk and Louw aside, other Boks playing in England include hooker Schalk Brits and prop Vincent Koch, both based at Saracens - a club that has seven England team players. Lock Franco Mostert plies his trade at Gloucester, while fullback Willie Le Roux is at Wasps and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach at Northampton.
“Tom has been absolutely amazing for England this year,” De Klerk said of his 21-year-old Sale teammate Curry.
“I don't think he's missed one minute for them. He's always willing to work hard and always up there with most of the stats.
“I know him pretty well now and I've got some stuff I can share with the group, so that's always a positive.”
Louw said his first impressions of Underhill, 23, was that he was a soft-spoken, quiet person.
“He loves a beer and I've joined him for many of those!” he added.
“He's massively developed as a player. He's refined elements of his game that definitely came through in last week's game (against the All Blacks), especially on defence.
“His ability to stop momentum in the tackle, his presence at the breakdown with poaching and 'jackalling' the ball and just discovering what rugby's all about.
“He's got a massive hunger to learn and grow as a player,” Louw added.
England fullback Elliot Daly said while it was good to speak to the likes of Curry about De Klerk, “when you get into these games, you are not thinking about that”.
“It gives us a little insight but it probably gives them an insight into us as well,” said Daly, who added he loved playing with Le Roux at Wasps.
“He is very excitable on the pitch and when something is on he gets very excited and wants the ball in his hands,” Daly said.
For the latest news on the Japan Rugby World Cup please log into http://rwc.my.na
NAMPA/AFP
De Klerk moved to Sale in 2017 alongside Curry, while Louw is entering his ninth season with English Premiership rivals Bath, where he packs down with Underhill.
The English duo have been the standout back-row performers at the World Cup so far.
They have been powerful over the ball and both are capable of delivering dominating tackles.
Insider knowledge of the two flankers is invaluable, according to Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.
“The knowledge of our players playing with those guys at the clubs is definitely going to be a bit of a benefit to us,” he said.
“But on the flipside for them, playing with our players nullifies that a little bit.”
De Klerk and Louw aside, other Boks playing in England include hooker Schalk Brits and prop Vincent Koch, both based at Saracens - a club that has seven England team players. Lock Franco Mostert plies his trade at Gloucester, while fullback Willie Le Roux is at Wasps and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach at Northampton.
“Tom has been absolutely amazing for England this year,” De Klerk said of his 21-year-old Sale teammate Curry.
“I don't think he's missed one minute for them. He's always willing to work hard and always up there with most of the stats.
“I know him pretty well now and I've got some stuff I can share with the group, so that's always a positive.”
Louw said his first impressions of Underhill, 23, was that he was a soft-spoken, quiet person.
“He loves a beer and I've joined him for many of those!” he added.
“He's massively developed as a player. He's refined elements of his game that definitely came through in last week's game (against the All Blacks), especially on defence.
“His ability to stop momentum in the tackle, his presence at the breakdown with poaching and 'jackalling' the ball and just discovering what rugby's all about.
“He's got a massive hunger to learn and grow as a player,” Louw added.
England fullback Elliot Daly said while it was good to speak to the likes of Curry about De Klerk, “when you get into these games, you are not thinking about that”.
“It gives us a little insight but it probably gives them an insight into us as well,” said Daly, who added he loved playing with Le Roux at Wasps.
“He is very excitable on the pitch and when something is on he gets very excited and wants the ball in his hands,” Daly said.
For the latest news on the Japan Rugby World Cup please log into http://rwc.my.na
NAMPA/AFP
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