COVER FEATURE what is wrong, he believes South Africans should try to improve the spaces around them. Pride means seeing the good through the bad and doing your bit to make things better.
Did he ever imagine that piece of underwear would become part of South African rugby heritage?
“ Never.”
Playing overseas gave him experiences he will always value, but distance has a funny way of making home look even better.
“ The longer you stay away and the older you get, I feel the more you appreciate the lifestyle we have in South Africa,” he says.
It is the people, culture, and way of life that pull him back. Now, with two young daughters of his own, his relationship with home has taken on another dimension.
“ I just can’ t see myself living somewhere else,” he admits.“ Just thinking about my kids and all that for the future, I just can’ t see them growing up anywhere else.”
For De Klerk, home is no longer just somewhere to return to between rugby tours. It is something he wants his children to know, experience, and carry forward.
THE MAN IN GREEN AND GOLD De Klerk’ s relationship with the Springbok jersey has changed throughout his career. Today, he sees the Springboks as a force capable of bringing people together and giving the country something to celebrate.
“ I feel like we have the power to really make someone’ s week or day a bit better,” he tells Inbound SA. That responsibility is not lost on him. Winning remains the goal, but he believes the pride players show matters just as much.
“ It doesn’ t always have to be a win,” he says.“ They need to see the pride you have for South Africa, for the people watching, and for the jersey.” And if there is one thing De Klerk has given South African supporters, it is memorable moments. There have been the tackles, celebrations, trademark energy, and two World Cup victories. Then there were the underpants.
The post-match celebration after the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, complete with his now-famous underpants, went viral and became part of the folklore surrounding the Springboks’ triumph.
Fair enough.
He says the moment was completely spontaneous and he did not even realise at the time how widely the images were spreading. Looking back, he can laugh about something that brought plenty of joy to South African supporters.
In classic Faf fashion, he cannot resist one final joke.“ You wear it close to your jewels,” he laughs,“ and, yeah, you know, you’ re a true South African supporter.”
SEPTEMBER 2026 / INBOUND SA 9