Springboks star Faf de Klerk names his two heroes
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Springboks cult hero Faf de Klerk had two rugby heroes when he was growing up. Surprisingly, neither of them was a scrumhalf.
Faf de Klerk names his rugby heroes
"For me, it was probably Percy Montgomery growing up and Breyton Paulse.
"Percy was always blonde hair, flashy boots and kicked with his left foot, so I felt I could relate," he explains.
Faf’s favourite food and hidden talents
In the same interview with TimesLive last year, Faf was also quizzed on what he would select as his final meal. "Wagyu rib eye steak with lamb chops, braaibroodjie, potato salad and a mealie," was his answer. It's not his favourite food though, that honour belongs to the schnitzel. Whether or not he'd be donning a Speedo while being fed that last glorious dish is up for debate.
In the same interview with TimesLive, Faf De Klerk mentioned, in a typically humble tone, that he used to be a decent gymnast. We all know he was probably a lot better than decent, and there are some solid rumours that he was also an excellent cricketer. What about Steven Kitshoff? His wife Aimee said he "is an absolute whizz on water and a brilliant wakeboarder."
Percy Montgomery was Mr Reliable for the Springboks
At the start of his career, Percy Montgomery was known for his flashy, flamboyant skills. However, as he matured and settled into his roles for the Springboks, Sharks, Stormers and clubs abroad, Monty became one of the most dependable players in the world. He was often the first name on the team sheet. A career tally of 102 caps and 893 points for South Africa bears testament. Only six players in history pulled on the green & gold jersey more often than Percival Colin Montgomery. No player amassed more points.
At his best, Percy was rock-solid as the last defensive line and used his in-game intelligence and tactical smarts to join attacking movements at opportunistic moments. Off the kicking tee, Percy was a metronomic maestro with that abbreviated run-up. 105 of Percy's points for his country came at the 2007 Rugby World Cup when the Boks beat England in the final. Monty led the individual scoring charts that year.
Who’s your favourite Springbok?
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