How Bok poached Saffas for Sharks

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A World Cup-winning Springbok has been revealed as one of the chief recruiters of top South African players for Sale Sharks.

There is a large contingent of SA-born players earning a living with English Premiership clubs, with as many as eight currently on the books at the Sharks.

Faf de Klerk, who now plays for Japanese side Yokohama Canon Eagles, joined Sale from the Lions in 2017, and Test-capped flyhalf Rob du Preez told former England skipper Lawrence Dallaglio on an Evening Standard podcast how the Bok scrumhalf had a hand in him and his brothers Dan and Jean-Luc ending up in Manchester from 2018.

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“Faf was the main recruiter, Faf and Jono [Ross]. They were the first two to come, and they would put people’s names forward,” Du Preez said.

“I think Dimes [Steve Diamond, former Sale Sharks director of rugby] was quite active in asking them who they’d think would fit in. But we definitely didn’t come for the weather, definitely not!” 

He added: “Financial stability is a big thing, too; we all know the Prem pays a lot more … well, not so much now, I think in South Africa the money is pretty good, too, it’s pretty evened out.

“But back in the day, or a couple of years ago, the Prem was very high paying compared to SA.

“So, that was a driver in a lot of the decision-making I’d say, and possibly getting a passport in two years, which is quite big for my family and little kid, so that hopefully we have that option to stay should we want to.”

Photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

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Devin Hermanus