Wian on loan to Munster
Cheetahs loosehead Wian du Preez has signed a two-month deal with Irish club Munster.
Du Preez was the form loosehead in the Currie Cup this season and was part of the Cheetahs’ front row that was considered the best scrumming force in the competition.
However, he was a shock exclusion from the Springbok squad for the end-of-year tour.
Munster, who are struggling with a prop injury crisis, have now approached Du Preez to help bolster their front row.
‘The deal has been sealed and I will be leaving next weekend for two months,’ Du Preez told keo.co.za. ‘It will be a great experience. In the last three years, Munster have won the European Cup twice. So it’s good to know I’ll be playing for one of Europe’s powerhouses.’
Du Preez added that he is looking forward to featuring alongside players like Springbok centre Jean de Villiers.
‘It will be great to meet up with an excellent player like Jean. There are also many British and Irish Lions and other internationals in the squad, so I will learn a lot during my time there.’
Forwards coach Barend Pieterse said he is happy Du Preez has received this opportunity.
‘Wian is already a good player and he will only get better,’ said Pieterse. ‘It’s a shame he didn’t get a Springbok call-up, but this will be a great experience for him.’
Du Preez is expected to feature in five European Cup matches and three Irish League games. The prop will return on the 25 January, in time for the Cheetahs’ Super 14 preparations.
By Gareth Duncan
November 6th, 2009 at 8:16 am
and this is what happens to players who are form players and get excluded because of quota’s
November 6th, 2009 at 8:23 am
The 2 quotas in the 37 man bok front row are Jannie Du Plessis and J.Smit!
2 weakest tightheads in the international game!…
Beast , Guthro…Wiaan and Heinke….should be there….
November 6th, 2009 at 8:33 am
#2 grant10: J. Smit is no quota. Maybe playing out of position and should be put back at hooker. BEST CAPTAIN IN THE WORLD. Not a quota Grant.
He should be put back to playing hooker.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:36 am
#3 Puma: ja….but Dunx making out Guthro and Beast quotas…..they are both fine looseheads….our problems at tighthead…not loosehead!!
November 6th, 2009 at 8:36 am
#3 Puma: is he the BEST hooker in the country?
November 6th, 2009 at 8:38 am
#5 Transformation: NOT better than Bismarck! But by far the best captain in the country!
November 6th, 2009 at 8:40 am
#4 grant10: Ignore that Grant. Gutrho and Beast are no quotas we all know that. But JOHN a quota? No way boet. He is playing out of position and SHOULD be put back to hooker. Bissie can come off the bench. We have to have the best captain in world rugby playing and playing in his right position. I agree with you there that John must play hooker and WP Nel should be playing TH. He proved himself in the CC should have been rewarded for brillinat play.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:40 am
#6 Sharksgirl: Can he captain from the bench….please????????
November 6th, 2009 at 8:40 am
#7 Puma: Sorry menat Guthro. Blogging to early…..hehehe.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:41 am
#9 Puma: hahaha. Brain gone. menat up there is meant…..
November 6th, 2009 at 8:42 am
#7 Puma: i would have Wiaan du preez at 3…let Heinke come on gradually…same as WP Nel…let him first have a season or 2 at 3 in super 14….
But we so easily blame quotas…thats rubbish…a lot of questionable selections in that 37 man squad have pale skins!
November 6th, 2009 at 8:43 am
#5 Transformation:
He was never the best hooker in the country.
He has however become the bloke that holds it all together.
Kakkest player to play tighthead for SA in the past 6 years was Eddie Andrews.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:43 am
What is this sweepstake thing??
November 6th, 2009 at 8:43 am
#8 grant10: NO. Does Richie McCaw captain from the bench. The world will laugh at us especially our greatest rivals if we let John sit on the bench.
Play him back at hooker. I personally prefer him at hooker to Bissie. John’s throw ins are always spot on and he does not drop the ball on. Bissie let us down huge in the S14 doing that over and over. Captain must go back to hooker.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Du Prez is going to make such a big impression that soon he will be covered with euros…….thank you dear PDF to spot great potential in Rose and Maku but not in Du Prez
November 6th, 2009 at 8:44 am
#12 Brigadier Van Zyl: second kakkest is J Smit.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:45 am
#11 grant10:
But most of the questionable selections are of the darker variety.
Earl Rose is not even questionable.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Lets put it this way. Our first captain to win us the world cup was F. Pienaar and he was not the best 6 ever. Rubin Kruger was. They had to make space for the best captain then and I am damn glad they did.
Also when Teich was dropped for the world cup 99 I knew straight away we were doomed. Dropped for a injured Skinstadt too. Will never forgive Mallett for being so stupid for doing that. Cost us I think the 99 world cup.
Always have your best captain playing ALWAYS. Makes good sense.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:47 am
#16 grant10:
Blame Meneer DeVilliers,Coach of the Year, he selects Smit at tighthead.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:48 am
J Smit should have stayed home and be on a proper conditioning programme to get him right for the rigours of the 3 position.
We far too conservative in our way of thinking….so many of these guys are being played into the ground it is stupid….
Anyway…crazy stuff all this playing okes out of position.
I just really hope Heinke converts okay…he is a very powerful scrummager and will be a great acquisition if he is able to scrum equally well on both sides.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:49 am
#17 Brigadier Van Zyl: Riaan Viljoen…Hargreaves….all debatabke…stop seeing color.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:50 am
To be honest the only quota in the team is Rose and I feel sorry for him being used like that. He knows it too and must feel horrible. All players want to be selected on merit. John is never a quota and should be playing back at hooker.
There should never ever be quota players at all right now EVER. WHY IS MAPOE NOT THERE? He is a man of colour but damn hell he is brilliant and should have been selected on MERIT.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:51 am
#19 Brigadier Van Zyl: I do blame him…and the co selectors….
Bloody embaressing to see a Bok team scrummed so badly so often.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:52 am
#22 Puma: Agree that Mapoe should be there…
November 6th, 2009 at 8:53 am
The problem is that all these props who go to spend a year or two or three abroad just vanish off the radar completely. Out of sight, out of mind. So Wian might put this down to gaining experience before coming back to have another bash, but history has shown that even the best props fall out of Bok reckoning the minute they leave OR Tambo. BJ Botha, CJ v/d Linde, Faan Rautenbach, Pat Barnard, Cobus Visagie and a bunch more.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Anyhows we are all South African I don’t care what colour we are we are South African all of us. Just please select the best and there are many that were left out of the Dirt Trackers team that should have been there.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:55 am
#26 Puma: well said…Puma
November 6th, 2009 at 8:55 am
#25 katman: daan human…
November 6th, 2009 at 8:56 am
#25 katman: at least 3 tightheads there that are stronger and more capable than the current bok 3..
November 6th, 2009 at 8:57 am
#24 grant10: Should have been Grant. I don’t think the 7’s contract had anything to do with it either. If PdV wanted him he would have been released to play in the 15 man squad. Feel for him. Played brilliant. Going to be a great I think. Watch out for Mvovo from the Sharks next year. Played brilliant in the CC and should have kept his place when Odwa came back. Rate Mvovo more than Odwa. Also going to be a great, great player.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:58 am
#4 grant10: Guthro was outscrummed against the Cheetahs, and against the WP!!
He has lost is mojo!!!
Heinke is a strong scrummager, but there have been questions asked of his technique!! He is also back from a serious knee injury.
On current form!!
Looseheads: Wian, Beast,Guthro
Tightheads: WP Nel, Kevin Buys
November 6th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Basically, of the 22 selected to start, I would be surprised if 50% ever feature in a full international.
If their was 1 player that should have featured in this tour it would have been Mapoe.
Has everything you need to be an international winger.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:00 am
I like the sound of this…go overseas,gain some experience and pounds,come back in time for the s14.Mind you,he’s not just gonna play for any team,its Munster.On the other hand,he might get injured while over there or be 1 heck of a tired ou when the s14 kicks off…
November 6th, 2009 at 9:00 am
#28 grant10: Yes, forgot about Daan. Great prop.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:01 am
#29 grant10: Add Brian Mujati to that list too.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:03 am
#31 Cheetah 4 Eva:
I disagree, Bulls scrumming 1st half in both those games was very good.
2nd half however is proving a problem. I suspect the Bulls will need to play 2 props off the bench unless something changes. The way Guthro attacks the rucks in the opening 40 minutes, by the 60 minute mark he is a spent force.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:06 am
#31 Cheetah 4 Eva: WP Nel probably our best TH at the moment. Should have been rewarded for a great CC. Played some awesome rugby.
John should be playing back at Hooker.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:06 am
#30 Puma: I will watch Mvovo closely in the super 14 next year…Mapoe is certainly special…the next Habana i reckon.#31 Cheetah 4 Eva: Yes….Wiaan is a stronger scrummer than Beast…..Beast does get about the park a bit though!
November 6th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Cheers Grant and all. Back later.
Good luck to our Dirt Trackers tonight. I think they in for a huge battle. Some good players in the Tigers side.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:08 am
#36 Brigadier Van Zyl: if bulls ger a CJ or BJ back they will win the super 14 again next year….only weakness is a suspect scrum.
Sharks got a poor scrum…best 3 there is pat cilliers…and debatable depth in backs…
November 6th, 2009 at 9:09 am
#39 Puma: cheers puma….
November 6th, 2009 at 9:11 am
#38 grant10: Mvovo going to be a great player. Mapoe is already right up there and yes he will be our next Habs. WP Nel for now I think our best TH should have been rewarded and been selected for this trip for such good play in the CC.
Out of here Grant need to do some work.
Back later.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:15 am
#12 Brigadier Van Zyl:where does EA fit into what we’re talking about? Is john smit the best hooker in the country, yes or no! aren’t we always screaming that the best players in any position must be played?
Pdv loves ruan, he thinks the boys oozes class. Morne is currently better than ruan, so he drops ruan & plays morne despite his own preference!
#6 Sharksgirl: hello sharkie…bissie is being under-rated here!
November 6th, 2009 at 9:28 am
#43 Transformation: Hi there Transformation! There is a love affair with JS in this country, which considering his value as captain is understandable. But yes there is no way that he is a better hooker than Bismarck! Bismarck does all the basics well and equal to John but he is a mean scrummager and steals as much ball as a loosie, and his defence is rock solid! and no one can question his work rate. They can underrate him as much as they whant, at least PDV has his head on straight! You are right as they keep on crying you play the best Player always. Problem is JS is a great captain so what do you do now?
November 6th, 2009 at 9:29 am
#4 grant10: I’ve never seen guthro, nice man as he is, do anything good in a scrum.
November 6th, 2009 at 9:53 am
#38 grant10:
Im afraid he will not be in Habana’s class, he lacks a bit of speed. And on the wing that little extra bit of pace is what makes the difference!
But still our 2/3 best wing in SA
November 6th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I reckon this a great idea for Wian. The kid gets some invaluable experience and returns for the S14. This a valuable experience for the youngster, which is the one area he’s lacking.
As for the screams that he’s been overlooked, forget it. The current props, on tour, have all been involved with Boks or, like Heinke, on the fringes and in line for a callup. I reckon that PdeV wants to get a final look at these guys before making any decision about replacing them. Wian has the whole of the S14 to mature a bit more and show he’s ready for the WC squad.
Most of the other new players on tour aren’t in the frame for 2011, but I think PdeV wants to see what’ll be available after the WC before getting down to the serious business of building a final squad.
November 6th, 2009 at 10:01 am
#45 ad_oz: Yes….our 2 looseheads,,,,Guthro and Beast …are not the best scrummagers…that is Heinke and wiaan….
That is why i am so passionate about needing a tightheadd that can first and foremost scrum….
At international level we cant have the luxury of Bissy, who also has question marks over his scrumming, Beast / Guthro and Smit.
Tighthead MUST ANCHOR SCRUM!….especially with beast and bissy there!
November 6th, 2009 at 10:02 am
#46 Cereal Killa 77: ja…may lack the blinding pace.
November 6th, 2009 at 10:05 am
#46 Cereal Killa 77: You have measured this, or is it an assumption?
Speed is not everything, he has enough pace, and loads of power, which sees him run through tackles, not something Habana is so able to do!!
His pace is not that much off the mark!! Think you are grabbing at straws here matey!!