Bok prop relishes Munster stint

15 Dec 2009

Wian du Preez says he is making the most of his two-month loan at Munster.

The Cheetahs loosehead has made major strides in his career since his impressive performances in the Currie Cup.

After being initially snubbed by the Springbok selectors for the European Tour, he was a late call-up to the squad after Guthro Steenkamp flew back home injured.

Despite being a disappointing tour, Du Preez made his Test debut in the win over Italy and gained valuable international experience. He will now add to this as he spends two months at Irish powerhouse Munster, where he has already started two matches, to help the club out with their prop injury crisis.

‘I made my debut in the narrow defeat [19-14] against Ospreys,’ he told keo.co.za. ‘That was disappointing because you always want to be on the winning side, but the next game against Perpignan was a great experience as I ran out at Thomond Park for the first time and we beat them in a close encounter [24-23].

‘It is a completely different atmosphere. From the passionate cheers from the home crowd to the dead silence while players kick at goal. The style of rugby is also different up north. The Super 14 has more running rugby where teams place a lot on emphasis on attack, while here they play for territory so they kick much more and there are more ruck contests.

‘The weather also has a big impact. Sometimes the ball doesn’t even reach the centre because of the wet conditions, so I’m learning to play in different situations and conditions.’

Du Preez added that it is a good experience playing alongside world-class players in the Munster line-up.

‘Munster have players like Paul O’Connell, Doug Howlett, Ronan O’Gara and David Wallace. They are great players and I’m learning a lot from them. They are also very friendly, which has made it easier for me to settle in.’

Off the field, Du Preez had a chance to meet up with other Saffas, such as former Cheetahs team-mate Philip Burger and Bok centre Jean de Villiers.

‘I met up with Philip in the week before the game against Perpignan. It was like a reunion and was nice to catch up. I will be visiting him again as we travel to France for the away leg against Perpignan in the European Cup,’ he said.

‘I also see Jean de Villiers, who’s also here at Munster. Although he wasn’t part of the team last weekend, he’s still very much part of the squad.’

Apart from the ‘miserable’ weather, Du Preez said he is enjoying life in Ireland.

‘The lifestyle is great here,’ he said. ‘They have everything here like top-class malls, shops and restaurants, but it has been difficult to adapt to the weather. It’s sad to hear my family and friends spending time on the beach, while I’m in the cold. But apart from that, I can only say positive things about my time here. It’s been great and I will do it again.’

Du Preez added that he is determined to play for a spot in the Bok team.

‘For any South African player, their dream is to be a Springbok,’ he said. ‘It will be difficult to get a place in the team and I will need to perform well in the next Super 14, but I will work hard for it.’

Du Preez returns to South Africa on 25 January, where he will join up with the Cheetahs for Super 14 pre-season training.

By Gareth Duncan


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