It was the worst possible way for Faf de Klerk to start his Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign with the Springboks.
Within two minutes of the start of the game against the All Blacks in Nelspruit, he lay poleaxed and unconscious on the ground after his clashed with the leg of New Zealand wing Caleb Clarke in an attempted tackle.
De Klerk was stretchered from the field in a process that took around five minutes and held up the game, but fortunately he was able to regain consciousness and was on the sidelines cheering as his teammates ran out 26-10 victors against their traditional rivals.
Due to the concussion protocols, De Klerk missed the return game against the All Blacks in Johannesburg the following week.
And he admits now that the process of getting himself ready to play again, and the processes that entailed, may have hampered him and set him back.
“Especially after the concussion, it was a bit tough,” said the Bok scrumhalf from Buenos Aires, where he is preparing to play a role off the bench in Saturday’s penultimate Championship game against Argentina.
“It was a bit weird getting back as it was the first time in my career that I have been through that process. You really want to train every day and give yourself another opportunity to get selected, but then you are out of it. So it is tricky. But we are here for a reason and when we get our chance, we need to use it. When you play for your country, you get one shot and you need to use that opportunity.”
Jaden Hendrikse took his opportunity well when he came on for De Klerk in Nelspruit, and while De Klerk was returned to the team for the first game against Australia in Adelaide at the start of their current tour, Hendrikse was back as the starting No 9 in Sydney the following week, with Cobus Reinach ahead of De Klerk on the bench.
De Klerk has subsequently returned via a bench role, and that is still some way off the starting position that has been his for most of the current era that started when Rassie Erasmus took over the coaching in 2018.
However, he knows as the scrumhalf that will finish the game, he will play an important part in the quest for victory, with what he is required to do depending on the game situation.
“We know what our role is when we come from the bench. There is a lot said to us before we go onto the field. It all depends on the game situation. In my position, I will need to either speed up the game, or try to get a bit more of a controlling aspect. It depends where we are on the scoreboard and whether we are chasing or trying to build on a lead.
“What is going to be really important this weekend is to make sure I read the game situation and go from there. If you are on the bench, you aren’t just an injury replacement anymore. There is a lot of responsibility on the guys who finish the game and that’s going to be massive this weekend against a team like Argentina.”
Coach Jacques Nienaber mentioned at the team announcement press conference that, with the flyhalf stocks low due to the injury to Handre Pollard and return home of Elton Jantjies, De Klerk might find himself having to play pivot should anything happen to starting No 10 Damian Willemse and his back-up Frans Steyn.
“I’ve played quite a lot at flyhalf since I left school,” said De Klerk. “At U19 level, I played a bit there, also at the Lions and at the Sale Sharks in England, I had a couple of games there as well.
“So, I am comfortable playing at flyhalf. Of course, test match rugby is another level. If the team needs me there, then that’s where I will play. I have no issues with that. I will have to train a bit more, but if push comes to a shove, then I will take that opportunity.”