LIONS Super Rugby scrum half Faf de Klerk has agreed to leave the Johannesburg franchise and play in England for Premiership club Sale Sharks.
The twenty-five-year-old Nelspruit born scrumhalf has won 11 caps for the Springboks and made his international debut last year in 2016.
Sale Sharks Director of Rugby, Steve Diamond says De Klerk is a “world class signing”.
“I am made up that Faf has decided to join us next season,” said Diamond, who recently announced the recruitment of Scotland international Josh Strauss and Jono Ross.
“He is tenacious with a fantastic work rate – he dictates the tempo and direction of the game and I think he will fit in well both with our style of play, and with a young, ambitious squad.
“He’s an unbelievable ball carrier, has a solid kicking game and he is exciting around the pitch. He sees the weakness in his opposition and can leverage this to his advantage. He’s young but has massive experience and this will be crucial in helping us to build on the foundations we have put in place this year.”
De Klerk will step into the shoes of Welsh international scrum half Mike Phillips, who announced that he will retire at the end of this season, following a year long stint at Sale Sharks.
He joins Sale Sharks from South African Super Rugby team the Lions, after helping the club reach their first ever Super Rugby final last season.
