An energised Faf de Klerk has warned that South Africa are ready to 'prove the world wrong' by retaining their Rugby World Cup crown.
TOKYO - An energised Faf de Klerk has warned that South Africa are ready to "prove the world wrong" by retaining their Rugby World Cup crown.
De Klerk told AFP that Japan's comparatively shorter league season means he is feeling "much better off" physically and believes the Springboks will benefit at the World Cup in France this autumn."I feel in a good spot considering when I was coming from Sale after a long season going into Springbok games, sort of just hanging on by a thread most weeks. I feel much better."
The Springboks took players from clubs in Japan, France, Ireland and England, as well as South Africa, to Europe last autumn, and De Klerk believes the cosmopolitan mix gives them "a bit of an advantage"."When you can bring that all together and pull the best out of each competition, I think it's a very good thing."
"I think we're always going to see ourselves as underdogs going into games, just because of the opportunities that some of us haven't got," he said. The win sparked wild celebrations and pictures of De Klerk cavorting with the trophy wearing only a pair of speedos with the South African flag on them went viral.
"I hope I bring more joy than anything else, but I know there's a few people probably in England and Wales who don't like me at all," he said.
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