Groom: English game demands different skills
FOR former Northampton Saints and London Irish scrum-half Nic Groom, the development of Cobus Reinach and Faf de Klerk's game in England has drawn striking parallels to his time in the Premiership.
Having spent six seasons with the Stormers, Groom penned a contract with the Saints at the end of the 2016 season. His goal was to exit his comfort zone and become a more complete player. Groom arrived in the northern hemisphere as an attack-minded scrum-half with deficiencies in his kicking game, and departed as a well-rounded No.9 with the ability to play a variety of game styles.
“When I went to the Saints it was a big wake-up call,” Groom, below, told The Rugby Paper. “The reality is that as a scrumhalf there are certain aspects of your game with holes in it that will be exposed. (In England), it's less about X-factor and flair and more about consistency, which is your biggest asset.”
In Groom's second season at the Saints, his compatriot Reinach joined him at the club and the pair developed a healthy competition as they pushed each other for the No.9 jersey at the Midlands side.
“His first year in the UK, like mine, was about adaptation. Playing up north was a massive learning curve for me. I came to understand that you required a greater game awareness, needed to understand the ebbs and flows and had to have your finger on the pulse with every bit of the game.”
When Groom departed Franklin's Gardens in 2018, Reinach went on to have a stellar season with the Saints and established himself as the firstchoice. He has since gone on to win 19 Test caps for South Africa and was influential in the injuryenforced absence of De Klerk during the 2021 season.
“Cobus is extremely opportunistic and has the ability to create something out of nothing,” said the 31-year-old, who has retired professionally and returned to live in Cape Town. “His athleticism and pace, which have always been notable strengths of his, allow him to finish off those opportunities.”
Some were calling for Reinach to usurp De Klerk in the Springbok pecking order, with the former's combination with Handré Pollard at Montpellier adding weight to the argument. However, Groom believes De Klerk still has the ‘inside lane' and would rather utilise Reinach's impact from the bench.
“I think it's fair to say that Faf should remain the starting 9 for the Boks in terms of his all-round game, coupled with fact that he's proved his worth. When he wasn't playing for Sale, due to injury, there was a big hole in the team. People tend to forget that at one stage he was a very different player to what he is now. At Sale, Faf has evolved into a key player in terms of all areas of the game.”
De Klerk, who underwent hip surgery and was out for five months, made a strong comeback against Harlequins and will be aiming to earn more game time as he looks to retain his national berth this season. South Africa's first assignment is against across Test series in July.
