Du Preez reconsiders international retirement
13 Mar 2012
Fourie du Preez says he feels like he has unfinished business with the Springboks.
In a 2011 interview the former Springbok and Bulls scrumhalf told SA Rugby magazine that the 2011 World Cup would be his last international assignment. However, with his mentor Heyneke Meyer being appointed Springbok coach and the disappointment of their quarter-final exit against Australia, Du Preez, who plays for Suntory Goliath in Japan, is reconsidering that decision.
‘When I originally decided to come over to Japan, I thought 2011 would be my target and that getting to the World Cup would be it,’ he told the International Rugby Board’s radio show, Total Rugby.
‘Losing to Australia might have changed that. Coming over has been a lot better than I thought and I’ve been able to get back into shape. Maybe that hunger is back again. It is still too early to say. I haven’t got around it in my head whether it will be good or bad for me. Never say never.’
Meyer is known to still rate the 29-year-old highly and has intimated that he would consider picking foreign-based players. Their would be concerns around the comparatively low standard of rugby in Japan, but Du Preez challenged those perceptions.
‘I see the top games here. It’s faster than what we’ve been used to. The guys are skillful and happy to learn. I’ve been really surprised. A lot of people think it’s easy rugby, but it’s been pretty tough. If you watch any top game the skill and structure levels are top-class. It’s been quite refreshing,’ he said.
Du Preez added that he has adjusted well to life in Tokyo. ‘At first you’re really scared. I’ve lived in Pretoria my whole life, so getting out of there would have taken a huge adjustment,’ he said.
‘It is something really different. As an international player you see the whole world except Asia. Japan is an awesome place. I’ve only been here four months but this has been a life-changing experience.’
103 Comments
Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All
13 Mar 2012, 08:45 am
Overthehill Dragon.
Seriously.
13 Mar 2012, 08:53 am
good call,heyneke will get his game back.
13 Mar 2012, 08:55 am
Still think he has alot to offer
13 Mar 2012, 08:59 am
Well there are no 9′s putting up their hands at the moment! So good move!
13 Mar 2012, 09:02 am
what is fdp saying, that he went to the world cup out of shape?
13 Mar 2012, 09:04 am
Not good news, more kick and chase from Boks! Time to move on. Hougaard etc.
13 Mar 2012, 09:05 am
Rather not, Hougaard can do the job if given the chance, in 4 years time he will be excellent and FfP will not.
This is not right am not saying he is not a good player but you need new blood some time and now is the time.
13 Mar 2012, 09:12 am
Maybe the springboks have finished business with him…has he ever thought about that? Players who speak like this display their selfishness as their ambition is locked in wanting to achieve their own personal goal within the team rather than whats actually foir the BEST of the team which may not necessarily be having him at 9
13 Mar 2012, 09:16 am
and trying to big up japanese rugby so as to validate the quality of rugby he’s playing is laughable. If its so great why is that not reflected in the japanese team who are meant to be the best 15 from their little league? please, give me a break
13 Mar 2012, 09:25 am
this is going to upset the keo youth league.
the goodyears will be smouldering before the sun passes the yardarm.
phansi udupreez.
13 Mar 2012, 09:30 am
next bakkies needs to lose a few kilos.
i love it when a plan comes together.
13 Mar 2012, 09:32 am
His availability can only be good news for the Boks.
13 Mar 2012, 09:49 am
Even if the Japanese League makes him a bit rusty, he’d still be a good option off the bench. He’s got the experience to close a game, even if it is now Hougaard’s time to start.
13 Mar 2012, 09:59 am
be awesome for him to stay involved in bok rugby. fourie still has plenty to offer.
13 Mar 2012, 10:03 am
There is no harm in having him in the squad.
13 Mar 2012, 10:06 am
@THE MAULER(THE MAULER)-4: I agree. Beyond Hougaard there is Vermaak, duvenage, Mcleod, Hoffman, Tewis de Bruyn. Not exactly quality. Out of that group Duvenage and Hoffman are the youngest. I hope they develop into great scrummies. In the meantime I wont mind if Hougaard starts for the Boks with Du Preez on the bench.
13 Mar 2012, 10:28 am
Time to move on.
13 Mar 2012, 10:32 am
He turns 30 this month.
That in itself is OK.
However, I fear this is one player who would be picked on reputation alone.
On current form, he is perhaps the 3rd or 4th best option available to the Boks.
13 Mar 2012, 10:33 am
In my humble opion, I don’t beleive Fourie Du Preez should be considered, he has passed his sell by date. It is time to invest in the future and the only 2 that should be considered are Hougaard and Pretorius. If Hienke Meyer is looking for an experienced Captain, he should look no futher than Jaun Smith and play him in the number 4 position.
13 Mar 2012, 10:33 am
The last 4 years have proven that old men should not play test rugby.
13 Mar 2012, 10:36 am
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-2:
You can’t make that assumption.
In any case, I have serious concerns about a player that plays “for” a certain coach and not “for” his country.
Why should the coach only decide if a player “wants” to play internationally?
13 Mar 2012, 10:40 am
We’ve seen enough of this arm-flapping whinyboy at the base of the scrum…
13 Mar 2012, 10:40 am
@garth(garth)-20: True to an extent.
It made me think about the concept of “experienced”.
And I have learned that it is more beneficial to a team to have eager, energetic 24-year olds with 30 test caps than less eager and slower 29-year olds with 75 test caps.
There is an optimal level of caps, after which further caps result in decreasing overall performance.
The balance between youth and experience, as a team and individual attribute, cannot be overemphasised.
13 Mar 2012, 10:41 am
@Budza(Budza)-19:
You know my take on Sarel P. I would select him in my Bok 22.
But, he is 27.
Fourie is 29.
13 Mar 2012, 10:42 am
@willievz(willievz)-21: True.
13 Mar 2012, 10:43 am
@willievz(willievz)-23:
when did you learn this?
13 Mar 2012, 10:44 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-26:
2010 and 2011.
13 Mar 2012, 10:46 am
it will be a pity… imo…
sure he was a great…
but we have not seen hougaard at his best at scrumhalf… i would rather go with hougie and let him settle in… and who knows…
one thing is for sure… going with fourie would not be forward step… imo…
and i can’t see him making the next wc… and then we’ll have to crash an inexperienced hoagie or someone else in as a bandaid measure…
i’m all for winning every game… and believe hougaard will win more for us than he loses… but i really believe he should be allowed to build experience, confidence and leadership so that come 2115 he is in the best possible form and brain-space of his career…
13 Mar 2012, 10:47 am
Du Preez was excellent at his peak, but I doubt that he will reach those heights again. I disagree with those who do not think we have quality scrimhalves to choose from – it is one area where we have a lot of quality.
13 Mar 2012, 10:49 am
if Heyneke Meyer falls for this little prima donna song and dance routine then he’s half the astute wise reader of situations as I may have given him the benefit of the doubt he was.
He obviously has said as much to FdP that if he decides to reconsider his retirement then there’s a shoe in captaincy position for him…
Well there we go.. four more years of dilly dally compromise.. too chicken to bust a gut and bust the dead beat mold..
Too cowardly to invest in a youth policy that brings its even reward from day one.. shows that he reckons scrum half and back line general has no takers for the impending role.. and FdP his last standing messiah who he gonna lay the wreath of expectation around his prima donna nanny boy halo
13 Mar 2012, 10:52 am
@ufo(ufo)-28:
If we are playing a strong, abrasive runner at 13 such as JPP to be utilised increasingly on first phase (which I hope we do), I will select Hougaard on the wing to ensure a quick recycle on the second phase.
Hougaard, for me, provides more options on the wing (for the BOKS, not the BULLS though). In any case, he must feature somewhere in the Bok starting lineup.
13 Mar 2012, 10:54 am
If anyone is even considering selecting FDP, they must watch last year’s RWC,only god knows how he didn’t score that try against Australia when he was practically over the line, I wont even mention his general play on the day.
13 Mar 2012, 10:55 am
The Sharks seem to feel that the clueless Michalak is a better scrumhalf option than Mcleod.
The Stormers are stuck with the mediocre Duvenage.
The Cheetahs have Tewis de Bruyn, who was a backup to Sarel Pretorius.
The Lions have Michael Bondesio – who should have stayed at the Pumas.
Vermaak showed this weekend that he is not a top level scrumhalf.
So basically, SA has a wing/scrumhalf who is still learning the ropes as it’s best bet, and little to choose from after that.
How is Du Preez’s possible availability NOT a good thing for the Boks, given all of the above?
13 Mar 2012, 10:56 am
First glance one may suspected FdP of entitlement, of the assurance he owns the No. 9 Boks Jersey and it’s up to him to hold onto it or otherwise, just Like JP and Habana own the 14 & 11 jerseys with no need to score tries (against the top 8 test teams)
But that’s not the case, it’s simply about HN who doesn’t trust Hougaard at that level or so it seemed, Hougaard in fairness hasn’t done enough at the scrummie position -he did more than well at the 11 position though – during 2010-2011 to counter HM preference.
My preference would be Pienaaar and then Michael Claassen, but that will not happened.
13 Mar 2012, 10:56 am
@willievz(willievz)-31:
can’t and won’t argue the point willie… he is a very talented player… and would do as you say no doubt…
my point though is that he hasn’t had the time to show what he can do at scrumhalf… i don’t believe anyone can say with certainty what options he may provide there… give him the extended run to show us…
then we compare apples and apples…
13 Mar 2012, 10:58 am
skopskiet said in 2009 get shot of FdP his better days had come and gone.. he also said change the model from kick chase to ball in hand and play the attacking inside center channel game, use a bust it up fly half like Grant.. not a deep pocket slot machine like Steyn and play the front foot game….
No the scribes and pundits said.. stick to what we know.. what Jake the Fake had instilled in John Smit and FdP and Schalk Burgers head.. keep playing the kick chase percentage game and lo and behold we’ll ram home another lucky packet fluke success…
Well it didn’t happen,, from Eoyt 2009 to WC 2011 under John Smit and FdP JW garbage game style strategic genius with Rassie Erasmus making Schalk Burger the inside channel first receiver ball carry distributing go between forwards and backs.. Boks won 3 tests from 13 where it actually counted.. our tri nations record with Smit and FdP at the helm through 2010-2011 was played 10 lost 8.. and the only time we ever won was when Smit was gone…
Now FdP is the walk on water messiah that gonna lead us back to that 2007 promised land… if he couldn’t do it through 2009-2011 how they thinking he can do it this time around?
Why not bring back Smit and Botha and Matfield too while we about it?
13 Mar 2012, 11:07 am
no the pundits never said kickchase was the way forward.
some ppl said it was the way forward, others said using the forwards to maintain possession was the way forward, and others didnt quite know what to say, they just liked to say something differfent. we aint got any real playmakers or strikrunners, grant is probably the best of the bunch but he aint no dan carter.
13 Mar 2012, 11:08 am
Hougaard – Duvenhage will do the deed with an all rounder distributing and kicking general like Goosen at 10 with Lambie as back up..
Duvenhage got enough strategic gifted kicking game from 9 as FdP had in his heyday.. and he a far better running 9 to boot.. Hougaard got the outright attack style athletic attributes of joost Vd Westhuizen.. depending on horses for courses strategies.. between Hougaard and Duvenhage we are covered while we scout around for younger able bodied replacements like Shreuder / Groom / hoffman and the juniors coming through the systems.
Play Hougaard, Goosen, at 9-10 and we be fine.. we do not need our back line general dictating terms from base of scrum because then the back line will not develop for another 4 years.. same way as it hasn’t done sine 1999..
13 Mar 2012, 11:10 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-38:
Seriously Skop. You have many passions, but Duvenage is the most ridiculous.
His every move screams “mediocre”.
13 Mar 2012, 11:12 am
i’m not so sure about duvenhage, u reckon he’s the next best thing since sliced bread, until when will he fall out of flavour tho?
nah, hougaard the way forward imo, too much bustle and strength and pace, shouldve played at 2011 RWC.
13 Mar 2012, 11:12 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-36:
It’s up to the Boks coach to pick the Scrumhalf whom he assessed will give him the best chance to win in 2012-2013
If the Boks fail again, the looters will appoint AC in his place pretty fast.
So, FdP doesn’t have to be the best scrumhalf available for the Boks, all it takes is for HM to believe so
13 Mar 2012, 11:13 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-33: And Ruan Pienaar??
13 Mar 2012, 11:16 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-36:
who is this skopskiet fellow?
he sounds like a motherfuckin’ genius.
13 Mar 2012, 11:16 am
habana and fdp as brilliant as they were, have unfortunately become too precious, u cant have players that drop when touched, they used to be the opposite, which is a broken leg wouldnt have prevented them for competing for the ball, they;ve gone soft with their success, and as a result are no longer the players they once were, brussow also started the whole acting scene, but appears to have got back to his tenacious best.
13 Mar 2012, 11:18 am
@ufo(ufo)-35:
I just think with Sarel at 9 and Hougaard at 11, we can be so much more threatening in the close and wide channels.
But certainly, Hougaard deserves a fair shot at the 9 berth.
13 Mar 2012, 11:19 am
@cab(cab)-40:
Hougaard at scrumhalf position for the Boks was rather mediocre there in 2010-2011
And he brings plenty mayhem and speed with him which the slow thinking, retarded Bok pack cannot adjust to.
If HM believes FdP is his best bet, it’s his prerogative, remember AC is waiting around the corner for his stumble,,,,
13 Mar 2012, 11:19 am
@willievz(willievz)-45:
thats a v good point too, he was damn good potgieter, wonder how he’s doing at NSW?
13 Mar 2012, 11:21 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-46:
jeezuz hondo, what kind of self-respective verkrampte are u? whats wrong with the vokmaarvoort pack, its been the mainstay of bokke rugby up until readmission when viljoen and duplessis decided it was time for some backline magic, that went down a treat on the scoreboard…
13 Mar 2012, 11:25 am
I wish these “has beens” would just fark off, he’s not world class anymore and won’t make the next WC anyway.
13 Mar 2012, 11:26 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-39: Skop has developed an unhealthy manlove for the Duvenhage/van Aswegen Axis of So-So. But not to worry, he will hook up with Gossen again just after lunch.
Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.