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Springboks call up De Klerk for New Zealand tour / Photo: © AFP/File
Springboks call up De Klerk for New Zealand tour
Double World Cup winner Faf de Klerk will join the Springboks in New Zealand for the second leg of their Rugby Championship campaign against the All Blacks, SA Rugby announced on Sunday.
The 33-year-old is the fourth scrumhalf in the touring squad after Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach and Morne van den Berg.
De Klerk, who was a vital cog in the sides that won the last two World Cups, has suffered a spate of injuries since playing the full 80 minutes against New Zealand in the 2023 final in Paris.
His only two international appearances this season came off the bench against Italy and Georgia.
De Klerk’s inclusion increases the size of the squad to 36 players, after hooker Bongi Mbonambi remained behind in South Africa earlier this week to attend to family matters.
The Springboks, who lost one and won one of their opening two matches at home to Australia, face the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday before travelling to Wellington for the second Test a week later.
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G. Pires--JDB
