Oh, the bitter taste of déjà vu! Faf de Klerk, South Africa's dynamo scrumhalf, finds himself sidelined yet again, this time with a pesky ankle injury incurred during a match for the Yokohama Canon Eagles. It all went downhill just 32 minutes into their season opener against the Shizuoka Blue Revs on December 14, when Faf attempted a tackle on wing Valynce Te Whare and ended up worse for wear. This marks the third straight season that injury has put a damper on his playing spree.
Yokohama officials have confirmed that Faf is bowing out temporarily to seek treatment back home in South Africa. Despite this setback, he remains on the team’s roster for the season, though Yokohama could potentially seek a Test-experienced temporary replacement from outside Japan if they choose to de-register him.
In a heartfelt video message to fans, Faf shared his disappointment and resolve, "
"Once again, I feel very sad to be leaving and disappointed. I felt I really worked hard to come back and be ready for this season but I’m going back to make sure I get in the best condition possible to come back, join the team again and support if I’m not playing. I’ll be back as soon as possible to see all the supporters and players and hopefully join the last few games."
His spirits, though dampened, clearly aren't down for the count.
Meanwhile, Yokohama has had a rocky start to their season, still hunting for their first win after also losing to the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars. They're gearing up for a clash against the reigning champions, the Toshiba Brave Lupus, this Sunday. Under the guidance of new head coach Leon MacDonald, the team is desperate to turn their fortunes around.
Rassie Erasmus, always a beacon of optimism, assured fans that Faf is still very much in the plans moving forward. The team's regular season wraps up on May 9 with a rematch against Shizuoka, and all eyes will be on whether Faf can make a triumphant return by then.
Whether he's weaving through defenses or navigating the rough waters of rehabilitation, one thing remains clear: Faf de Klerk is not one to stay down for long. We can only hope his return to the field is as swift and impactful as his hair is glorious.
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Oh, the bitter taste of déjà vu! Faf de Klerk, South Africa's dynamo scrumhalf, finds himself sidelined yet again, this time with a pesky ankle injury incurred during a match for the Yokohama Canon Eagles. It all went downhill just 32 minutes into their season opener against the Shizuoka Blue Revs on December 14, when Faf attempted a tackle on wing Valynce Te Whare and ended up worse for wear. This marks the third straight season that injury has put a damper on his playing spree.
Yokohama officials have confirmed that Faf is bowing out temporarily to seek treatment back home in South Africa. Despite this setback, he remains on the team’s roster for the season, though Yokohama could potentially seek a Test-experienced temporary replacement from outside Japan if they choose to de-register him.
In a heartfelt video message to fans, Faf shared his disappointment and resolve, "
"Once again, I feel very sad to be leaving and disappointed. I felt I really worked hard to come back and be ready for this season but I’m going back to make sure I get in the best condition possible to come back, join the team again and support if I’m not playing. I’ll be back as soon as possible to see all the supporters and players and hopefully join the last few games."
His spirits, though dampened, clearly aren't down for the count.Meanwhile, Yokohama has had a rocky start to their season, still hunting for their first win after also losing to the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars. They're gearing up for a clash against the reigning champions, the Toshiba Brave Lupus, this Sunday. Under the guidance of new head coach Leon MacDonald, the team is desperate to turn their fortunes around.
Rassie Erasmus, always a beacon of optimism, assured fans that Faf is still very much in the plans moving forward. The team's regular season wraps up on May 9 with a rematch against Shizuoka, and all eyes will be on whether Faf can make a triumphant return by then.
Whether he's weaving through defenses or navigating the rough waters of rehabilitation, one thing remains clear: Faf de Klerk is not one to stay down for long. We can only hope his return to the field is as swift and impactful as his hair is glorious.