Jean-Luc du Preez could be the biggest winner among the Springboks in Saturday’s international season opener against the Barbarians in Cape Town.
Du Preez will start at No 8, with 2024 Test incumbent Jasper Wiese still regaining fitness after a neck operation and Stormers No 8 Evan Roos not in the match 23.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi wears his traditional No 6, even though he has been outstanding for the (SA) Sharks in the URC and the Investec Champions Cup. World Cup winner Kwagga Smith, who has started at No 8 for the Springboks, covers every loose-forward position.
Duane Vermeulen’s retirement after the victorious 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign was softened through the regular game time afforded Wiese in the two years building towards the World Cup.
Wiese was entrusted as Vermeulen’s successor as it was felt he matched the veteran in terms of style of play, physical make-up and game plan alignment.
Du Preez would be a straight swap for Wiese with those physical attributes, a robust approach from the base of the scrum and an imposing 114kg frame.
Du Preez, one of three brothers to have played for the Springboks, and the son of 1992 Springbok scrumhalf Robert du Preez, had a stellar introduction to the Springboks as a 21 year-old and was particularly good when the Boks lost by a point against the All Blacks in the final Test at Newlands in 2017. The All Blacks won 25-24 but Du Preez was strong and scored a memorable try.
His international career has stalled since Rassie Erasmus took charge of the Springboks in 2018 and it remained more in neutral than in gear during Jacques Nienaber’s head coaching role between 2020 and 2023 when Erasmus oversaw the Boks as national director of rugby.
Du Preez, given the type of No 8 Erasmus has favoured at Test level, has the inside lane, but his versatility is of such a range that the 29 year-old has all the attributes to replicate the role Danie Rossouw played for the Bulls, Toulon and Springboks between 2006 and 2011.
Erasmus returned to the role of head coach in 2024, with Nienaber taking up the challenge of coaching Irish provincial giants Leinster.
Du Preez was never iced out between 2018 and 2024, with invites to the Springboks alignment camps and sporadic inclusions in squad selections. His biggest impact came at club level with the Manchester-based Sale Sharks where he played 144 matches after enjoying 45 matches with the South African version of the Sharks.
All three Du Preez brothers, Jean-Luc, his twin brother Dan and older brother Robert Junior, were schooled at Kearsney College in KwaZulu-Natal and all three played professionally for the Durban-based Sharks.
All three brothers have been influential for Sale’s Sharks, with Robert holding the record of 74 successive Premiership matches and playing every minute of the past Premiership season. Jean-Luc and Dan were equally prominent in the pack selections and with their match-day contributions.
Dan ironically is the more natural No 8 and has played No 8 for the Springboks, whereas Jean-Luc, in the 149 professional matches he has started, has been at No 8 for 28 percent of his appearances, at openside flanker for 25 percent, at blindside flanker for 20 percent, at No 4 lock for 17 percent and at No 5 lock for 10 percent.
His versatility and impact is what seduced the Investec Champions Cup champions Bordeaux to invest in him and the big utility forward will join the French club for the 2025/26 season.
Du Preez, given the type of No 8 Erasmus has favoured at Test level, has the inside lane, but his versatility is of such a range that the 29 year-old has all the attributes to replicate the role Danie Rossouw played for the Bulls, Toulon and Springboks between 2006 and 2011.
Rossouw, so skilled and physical, could play any position from No 4 lock to No 8, and a strong performance from Du Preez against a Barbarians back-row that includes former All Blacks captain Sam Cane, retiring former Irish and Munster captain Peter O’Mahony and Japanese-based All Black Shannon Frazell could be the match that turns Du Preez from a Bok possible into a Bok probable and doubles his 15 Test caps in the next two seasons.
Du Preez, who averages 70 minutes a match at club level, has started just four of his 15 Springboks matches, with an average game time of 32 minutes. He has so much to profit from a powerful Saturday in Cape Town.
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