Feisty Faf looking to 'irritate' fellow Springboks in Japan

Rugby World Cup winner Faf de Klerk said on Thursday he wants to "irritate" his fellow Springboks in Japan after becoming the latest South African to join the country's ambitious league.

The feisty scrumhalf has signed for Yokohama Canon Eagles after leaving Sale Sharks at the end of last season following five years with the English Premiership club.

The 30-year-old joins several of his 2019 World Cup-winning Springbok teammates in Japan and he said he is looking forward to "getting under their skin" when they face each other next season.

"Maybe Malcolm Marx, I'm very good friends with him," De Klerk said of the Springbok forward, who was one of seven Japan-based players called up for South Africa's series against Wales earlier this month.

"I'll see if I can make him angry and he'll make some mistakes."

Speaking at the same Yokahama stadium where he helped South Africa beat England in the World Cup final three years ago, De Klerk said he wanted to help Canon become "one of the best teams in the world".

He will line up alongside Springbok teammate Jesse Kriel at Canon, who finished sixth in the 12-team Japan Rugby League One championship last season.

De Klerk said he was "definitely looking forward to a new challenge" after leaving Sale, where he made more than 100 appearances.

'I'm very excited'

"If you get comfortable in life, you stop growing," he said.

"I really think I can still improve my game a lot so this is another big challenge for me and one that I'm very excited to take on."

De Klerk famously stripped down to a pair of South African-flagged swimming briefs to celebrate his country's World Cup win, and he said he would "see if we can't get some Canon Eagles swimwear for the whole team".

He said he intends to "immerse"