SCRUMHALF REBOOT: Faf could rekindle his flagging Test career with strong performance against Barbarians

Grant Williams and Faf de Klerk – the two scrumhalves in the Springbok squad against the Barbarians in Gqeberha – could reprise these roles several times in 2026.

Injury to Cobus Reinach, who looks set to miss the Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks in late August and September, means that De Klerk’s Test career might be rekindled.

De Klerk, one of the heroes of two successful World Cup campaigns in 2019 and 2023, has increasingly been marginalised with the emergence of Williams and Morné van den Berg.

But Van den Berg is also out injured for a lengthy period, and Jaden Hendrikse is another on the casualty list.

The injury toll has also brought in-form Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier back into the Bok conversation.

Papier has scored 12 tries in the United Rugby Championship this season and will be a key player in the URC final between the Bulls and Leinster at Croke Park.

But Papier has been in good form for several seasons now, not just in 2026. That fact that he has been overlooked since playing seven Tests in 2018 – Rassie Erasmus’s first year as Bok mentor – indicates that for some reason, he has never quite convinced the man who matters most of his Test credentials.

Sheer weight of strong performances in a team that has made it to the URC final, saw Papier recalled to a Bok alignment camp earlier this year. But it doesn’t mean he’s going to be leapfrogging Williams and others in the Bok pecking order.

Faf insurance

Which is why De Klerk’s outing against the Barbarians, however long it might be, will be interesting.

Since starting the 2023 World Cup final in Paris, De Klerk has featured in only five of the Boks’ 27 Tests since then. And most of the time he has been fit and available, just not wanted.

De Klerk came off the bench twice in 2025, against Italy and Georgia respectively, and didn’t feature again for the rest of the year.

At the same time Reinach was playing the best rugby of his career and Williams emerged as the future. Sometimes timing in sport is everything.

By last November, it really did feel like De Klerk’s Test career was over as the Springboks marched through Europe’s northern fields undefeated, with Williams, Reinach and Van den Berg all playing significant parts in that tour’s success.

Yet here we are on the brink of a massive season and one year out from a World Cup title defence.

Reinach and Van den Berg are out of the picture for the foreseeable future while Papier’s brand of rugby has never convinced Erasmus of his Test credentials.

Suddenly Faf’s experience and sheer competitive nature are needed. Now it’s just a case of seeing if the veteran 34-year-old has the legs to play at the level we’ve become accustomed to seeing over the years.

With two weeks to the first competitive Test of the year, against England in the new Nations Championship at Ellis Park on 4 July, this could be a dress-rehearsal for the scrumhalf situation in short-term.

Young guns

But this weekend is also about celebrating the youth and talent coming through the South African rugby system, with a callow SA “A” team selected for the day’s earlier match against Zimbabwe.

Many current and recent Junior Springboks are in both teams, and it gives Erasmus a chance to gauge progress and potential in a competitive environment as he also plans for life after Rugby World Cup 2027, when many veterans will retire.

“We work in tandem in South Africa. Since we started the elite player development pathway way back in 2013, we started getting the rewards in 2019 and 2020, and then we got Covid,” Erasmus said this week.

“I think we missed a lot of players in that Covid era, who didn’t play Craven Week, SA Schools, didn’t go to the SA academy, didn’t play Junior Springboks.

“That is why I think you will see a gap in the age bracket between 22 and 26 in the Springbok set-up because those guys didn’t play rugby. A lot of them stopped and didn’t get contracts.

“We work very closely with Dave [director of rugby, Dave Wessels] and Kevin [Junior Bok coach, Kevin Foote], and then we do our depth chart and then we try and get guys as quickly as possible into the set-up, just to see the guy eye-to-eye.

“Does he feel comfortable with what we’re doing? Does he understand what we’re saying and how should we approach those guys?

“Dave is great at that and Kevin is great at that.”

Erasmus used examples this system is starting to produce players for the Test set-up

Lock Riley Norton is starting for the Springboks even though he is still the Junior Bok captain. Flyhalf Vusi Moyo is on the bench for the Boks, and is also still in the Junior Bok set-up.

“At lock, everybody thought we were a bit thin. Of course, we had a lot of injuries and experienced guys not playing, but there’s Riley [Norton] in the mix.

“We’re doing the final fitness and strength things with Eben [Etzebeth] to make sure he’s ready for England, which he will be.

“Lood [de Jager] might be ready then, but a guy like Riley has really put up his hand.”

Barbarians backline

The Barbarians look a little thin up front but their backline is packed with quality, including Duhan van der Merwe, wing for Scotland and the British & Irish Lions.

The giant wing was born and raised in South Africa before moving to France in 2016, and Scotland a year later.

He qualified via residency in 2020, and has not looked back, earning 53 Test caps and a place on two consecutive British & Irish Lions tours, including the 2021 tour to South Africa where he featured in all three Tests.

The 31-year-old will line-up against his homeland, whom he dreamt of playing for, but it is now a familiar challenge.

Despite the hype, Van der Merwe remains unmoved, the opportunity to face the world champions the biggest motivation, while the chance to enjoy the famous Barbarian spirit has also been a reinvigorating experience.

“I’m loving it to be honest. It’s a bit of a bit of a different set-up to what you are used to, but that’s the beauty about sport, Van der Merwe said.

“Being able to come out to South Africa, be in a Barbarian squad and getting to know players over a beer or two, it reminds you of back in the day when you started playing rugby and there wasn’t any added pressure.

“I guess the first time I faced the Boks, it was a little bit strange. People have their opinions, whatever they might be and they are entitled to them but it doesn’t bother me.

“It was just a very proud moment for me and my family to do something which I never thought I would be able to do. The British & Irish Lions is the pinnacle of any rugby players’ career, so to do that against South Africa was very special.

“I don’t feel like I have a point to prove or anything. It’s been nine or ten years and I’m just grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.

“The motivation is more that they have been the world champions for a long time and you want to test yourself against the best. You know whenever you play South Africa, it’s going to be pretty tough.” DM

Springboks

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Quan Horn, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Riley Norton, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ox Nché.

Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Paul de Villiers, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Vusi Moyo.

Barbarians

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 9 TJ Perenara (captain), 8 Miracle Fai’ilagi, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 6 Guido Petti, 5 Alex Moon, 4 Franco Molina, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Mayko Vivas.Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Izack Rodda, 20 Liam McConnell, 21 Santiago Arata, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre.

Date: Saturday, 20 JuneVenue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, GqeberhaKick-off: 3pm (SA time)Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)Assistant referees: Griffin Colby (South Africa), Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa)TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

SA ‘A’: 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Emmanuel Tshituka, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Vincent Tshituka (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Boan Venter.

Replacements: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Siba Mahashe, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Jurenzo Julius.

Zimbabwe: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Trevor Gurwe, 13 Brandon Mudzekenyedzi, 12 Kudza Mashawi, 11 Edward Sigauke, 10 Bruce Houston, 9 Hilton Mudariki (captain), 8 Tinotenda Blithe Mavesere, 7 Dyan Utete, 6 Simbarashe Siraha, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Kudakwashe Nyakufaringwa, 3 Bornwell Gwinji, 2 Simba Mandioma, 1 Victor Mapunga.

Replacements: 16 Liam Larkan, 17 Tijde Visser, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Daniel Cooke, 20 Tadiwanashe Gwashu, 21 Aiden Burnett, 22 Keegan Joubert, 23 Dion Khumalo.

Kick-off: Noon