Du Preez: ‘I almost quit’
Fourie du Preez has decided to stay with the Springboks after admitting he had thoughts of retirement earlier this year.
Like Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana and John Smit, Du Preez is one of many stalwarts in the team that remains from the Boks’ victorious campaign at the 2007 World Cup and has been a star player for the world champions in 2009.
The Bok No 9 does, however, admit that he almost considered retiring at the end of this season because of personal reasons, but after a successful year, he now wants to be part of the Boks’ title defence at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
‘At the moment I’m really enjoying my rugby, and the atmosphere that has been created has brought out the best in my game,’ Du Preez told SuperRugby. ‘It was a difficult few months for me earlier this year, and a lot hinged on how things went. But the way I feel now I have a few good years in my. It wasn’t as if things weren’t good at the Boks in the past, but rather a case of whether I can reach my own goals and do better in my game.
‘A lot of us who were in the team that won the 2007 World Cup said we would make decisions after the Lions tour and take it from there,’ Du Preez said. ‘But the success we have had this year makes 2011 the next goal. If the year didn’t go so well, then my international career would be over right now.’
Du Preez has enjoyed a triumphant season with the Boks and Bulls, which has seen him win Tri-Nations, British and Irish Lions, Super 14 and Currie Cup titles in 2009. Many believe he should have received the IRB Player of the Year award, but he lost out to All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.
These achievements have influenced Du Preez’s decision to stay.
‘I’ve really been happy with this season – it was definitely my best yet,’ said Du Preez. ‘I really gave a lot of thought to retiring at the end of this season. I was planning for a season or two overseas and wanted to get out of Pretoria, out of my comfort zone.
‘But the way things have gone made it difficult to contemplate quitting. The atmosphere that was set by the Springbok management was really wonderful. This Bok management is really some of the best ever and in that aspect I enjoy being part of the Springboks. They made it easier to make the decision.’
Du Preez’s contract at the Bulls expires in October 2010, but it looks certain that the scrumhalf will sign an extension to fulfill his 2011 World Cup ambitions.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:30 pm
@Dawn:
I preferred Obamas response to ‘did you inhale(smoke weed’. He said
“I thought that was the whole point”.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:31 pm
@WakaNathan:
Didn’t see those.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Hey baby!! i miss you so much. Mwah to the most beautiful girl.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:36 pm
@JL1: @373
Im surprised you are going. Someone told me there was a ‘No DHs Policy’.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:36 pm
@WakaNathan:
I deny whatever was said about me.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:37 pm
@Wezwp:
Are you sober.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:39 pm
@Wezwp:
I think you had the wrong window open, mate.
Didn’t realise you mixed keo with sororitys!uts.com?
December 1st, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Yes i am. Just upbeat about the upcoming s14. The chances of the stormers reaching the semi finals has to be 25/1. We going to seriously need to put together a string of results to do it.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pm
mmmmmmmmm……sorority§luts.com …tempting.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:44 pm
@WP Till I Die:
Did you see my kweshchin.
When is your very fly friend getting married?
December 1st, 2009 at 4:44 pm
@Tacitus: Tact – daai mannetjie het OORGENOEG geld by sy ouers gekry…. OORGENOEG!. Hy hoefie n dag in se lewe verder te werkie.
hy was die laaste erkende senior bok om sy kontrak met sarfu te teken … vir hom het dit glad nie oor die geld gegaan nie…. nogal respek vir hom!
December 1st, 2009 at 4:46 pm
@Wezwp:
Get a few slasher movies.
They all get hacked to death anyway.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:46 pm
@Staal:
Wat skree jy.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:48 pm
@WP Till I Die:
Why have you forsaken me?
You don’t respond?
December 1st, 2009 at 4:52 pm
@Wezwp:
Actually … I love those movies.
I can’t WAIT for the insane killer to start hacking those screaming blonde banshees to death.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:53 pm
@Dawn: you don’t know?
Sheriff told him to stop talking to you because you’re his woman. You didn’t see that thread?
December 1st, 2009 at 4:55 pm
@Transformation:
Whose woman?
Please send it to me.
Didn’t see it.
December 1st, 2009 at 5:04 pm
that you are sheriff’s chick…will look for it
December 1st, 2009 at 7:17 pm
This sounds like an episode out of the Bold & the Beautiful. That’s how pathetic it is. How old is this guy. What was he going to do … open a sports pub with Richard Bands and have a guest appearance by Steve Hofmeyr every second week?
December 1st, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Good grief the one senior I actually want to see
December 1st, 2009 at 7:39 pm
@kevin w:
the guy is loaded I he doesn’t need to work another day in his life f he doesn’t want to…I doubt very much that a sports pub with richard bands (who would drink all the profits) is on his list of priorities…
December 1st, 2009 at 8:03 pm
@gunther: yes gunther … all his South African Ronts are going to be very valuable in 10or 20 years.
Many people are loaded and properly loaded … they still work. So Du Preez can cry me a river to be honest. We have enough kak ex players on supersport already.
December 1st, 2009 at 8:35 pm
@JL1: #325
Then there is no reason to degrade the coach if he prefers the one instead of the other.
December 1st, 2009 at 9:05 pm
@kevin w:
sure bru whatever you clearly don’t understand he is wealthy away from rugby….he is not looking for sympathy more than anything else it is an endorsement of the current set up…but anyway…
December 1st, 2009 at 9:06 pm
sure bru whatever you clearly don’t understand he is wealthy away from rugby….he is not looking for sympathy at allmore than anything else it is more praise for the current set up…
but anyway…you are very clever..
December 1st, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Just a pity that the SA coaching regime no nothing about coaching, they have created such a nice atmosphere in the SA camp that they have forgotten how to win.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Well, well that was quite a good read tonight!!
Have been thinking about my blogger awards 2009 (sounds like Sheriff, I know)…
Soda Joe is still probably the funniest blogger but old Gunther is snapping at his heels lately!!
Astute Rugby Brain Award goes to………
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 am
talking of awards n’all…….
There were a few Awardees on show tonight @ John Smits dinner here in London. Fundraiser for Sth African kids (in partic victims of sexual abuse).
Some hilarious moments from the speakers. Q & A with McCaw & Matfield 1st.
Victor was quite quick with a quip, seemed very natural and at ease. Safas at our table were chuckling at the Blue Bulls jokes (McCaw said the fan who paints himself blue, big gut, horns on his hat was “Victors Dad…or sister”). McCaw was fairly diplomatic, complimenting Smit on his refereeing abilities.
Smit himself is just a natural speaker, funny, very eloquent, relaxed. Went thru his 1st XV selected from players he’d played with. No surprises with most Boks & Sharks. His 1 curveball was a Fijian winger from Clermont days (Nalaga ?). He had to answer a few hairy Ques’s from the audience like “who’s the biggest in the shower *wink wink*”. Apparently some (anon) “fitness trainer….stopped doing pressups when he was 3″. G10, you’ll be interested to hear his response to the ‘retirement’ Ques was noticeably vague and purposefully fudged. Most tellingly he finished by saying he had “unfinished business with the Sharks” that he’d like to rectify, which was interesting. Lots of jokes about Bissy being the ladies man on tour. 1 audience Ques was “who is dirtiest ?”. He answered “too many cameras to be dirty these days…….but Bakkies and Schalk were the toughest”. Lots of ref’s to Bakkies etc (eg “I used to be 7ft tall before I starting hooking in front of Bakkies”.
All’n'all, a very impressive individual.
Did the tour of the room. McCaw was the busiest chap there, more chicas queueing for photos/autographs than guys. Otherwise the biggest draw was Bakkies & Matfield. Habana, most disappointing, very unfriendly.
You’ll be pleased to know that after a quick snap with Bakkies (and that guy IS huuuuuuuge ! taller than Matfield, surely) I whispered sweet nothings in his ear…..
“keep clearing those rucks, Bakkies”.
“I will, mate, dont you worry !”
.
.
BaXXies !
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:51 am
Thanks for the low down Waka so where was JL1.
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:16 am
@skopskiet:
He was keeping low. My old mate, Bakkies, told me he heard there “might be some trouble” and that if I sensed any dark forces just to shout “JUSTICE4″ and he would “come running…in from the side, head 1st”.
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:47 am
Okey dokey good old Baxxies, I just somehow knew he’d come through for you.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am
@WakaNathan:
Now that you’ve seen Bakkies up close, you can probably understand why young Isaac Ross asked Henry for a few games off.
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
@WakaNathan: Awesome, sounds like a blast! Wish I’d been there…thanks for the report!