Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk is on the cover of the new SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week!
The World Cup is less than two months away, with the Boks having kicked off their Test season against the Wallabies this past weekend.
Bearing that in mind, our cover feature for this issue focuses on the improvements scrumhalf talisman Faf de Klerk has made over the last couple of years to now be regarded as a key weapon in the Springboks’ World Cup arsenal.
Also in this issue, SA Rugby magazine welcomes former Springbok Stefan Terblanche on board as a columnist. He highlights the fact that there is a clear difference between gamesmanship and cheating, which should not be confused.
Also in this issue, we unpack SA Rugby’s ‘groundbreaking’ new player contracting model, while reflecting on the performances of the South African sides in Vodacom Super Rugby this season.
In our regular World Cup Watch segment, contributor Clinton van der Berg looks at the Boks’ fullback options, and who could provide backup to first-choice Willie le Roux.
Going beyond just on-field action, though, SA Rugby magazine catches up with Bok and Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who opens up on dealing with criticism and some of the challenges he has faced this year.
Similarly, New Zealand-based writer Marc Hinton details the inspiring influence of All Blacks superstar Sonny Bill Williams since the tragic Christchurch mosque shootings in March.
Don’t miss our catch-up with Blitzboks coach Neil Powell, while we also pick five Junior Springboks to watch based on their performances in the U20 Championship.
– In our ‘Open Side Q&A’, Ryan Vrede chats to defence guru Omar Mouneimne, who once lived his life on the defensive, but is now he’s making a life teaching elite players to defend.
– In addition, we cover school and club and news.
And on a final poignant note, we learned of James Small‘s untimely death after deadline, but managed to halt the print run in time to pay homage to the late Bok great.
