Unsung De Klerk likes to use his initiative

The Lions have to pick themselves up after their defeat by the Crusaders, but scrumhalf Faf de Klerk is undaunted about doing so against the table-topping Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday.

De Klerk believes much of the home team's destiny rests with themselves: "The Sharks are a good side and I think they can win the tournament. However they play a lot from other teams' mistakes.

"If we can minimise our errors they won't get scoring opportunities. That's what happened in our game earlier, but if we can cut them out it could be a good day for us."

His confidence is quickly apparent. Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse tells the story of how the 1.72m scrumhalf walked up to him and asked whether he had a spot for him in Nelspruit.

He went on to play more than 40 games for the Pumas before he came to the Lions on loan at the start of the Super 15.

De Klerk, a former Waterkloof High School pupil, wasn't entirely new to the set-up though, having represented the Lions at under-19 and under-21 levels.

"I figured I would be on the bench for the first part of the season," De Klerk said. "I realised I would have to fight for my position. When Michael [Bondesio] got injured in that first game things really started going well for me. I didn't think it would go that well. I'm very, very lucky."

His nippy and decisive service has been a fit for the Lions. De Klerk, whose contract with the Pumas expires at the end of next year, is one of the reasons why flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff has played such a leading role in the Super 15.

"We know each other very well. We understand each other. We think the same way. We don't have to talk much," De Klerk explained.

It has helped the Lions punch way above their weight and De Klerk put his finger on it.

"The freedom is the best. Although we have a structure in which we operate, we can use our own initiative," he said. "We have the licence to use it at the appropriate time. That is why the guys play well together and why the guys have gelled. You have the freedom to play your own game.

"We set ourselves the goal to do well. No-one gave us a chance. That probably motivated us to do better. Just to prove people wrong. When someone says to you you've got no chance it's always nice to prove them wrong."