Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk has revealed that he was one of the 27 Sale Sharks players who tested positive for coronavirus last season.

In an interview with British publication The Telegraph, the World Cup winner opened up on his experience of having Covid-19.

The Sale Sharks squad was hit by an outbreak towards the end of last season which cost them a place in the Premiership playoffs in October as their final-round match against the Worcester Warriors was called off.

The 2020-21 Premiership campaign starts this weekend and De Klerk confirmed he was now fully recovered.

“I was pretty bad. I had severe body aches and a fever for the first few days. After that, I was a bit tired. I was probably one of the worst cases at the club but I’m all good now and feeling great,” De Klerk said.

“I think I have had worse cases of flu, but the problem with it is that people get different symptoms, so you are just seeing what is going to happen.

“I felt pretty bad for the first few days and a lot of family were maybe a bit scared of me being on my own and having it. But, in terms of not infecting anyone else, that was a good thing.”

De Klerk is one of 10 South Africans currently on Sale’s books.

Jono Ross, Akker van der Merwe, Coenie Oosthuizen, Lood de Jager, Cobus Wiese, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and the Du Preez brothers Dan, Jean-Luc and Robert all ply their trade at the Manchester-based outfit, while another South African, lock JP du Preez, is also set to join from the Cheetahs.

– Compiled by Sport24 staff