News

Du Preez 'just wants to play'

August 14 2008

Fourie du Preez's return to the Springbok starting XV ruffled a few political feathers this week but the player who the All Blacks coaches have called the 'best scrum-half in the world' is just proud to represent his country and is looking forward to finding his best form.

Du Preez faces a tough task when he runs out against the All Blacks at Newlands on Saturday after being recalled to the Springbok team just two weeks after returning from lengthy injury-enforced lay-off.

Two games in the Currie Cup and 30 minutes against Argentina were enough to convince Peter de Villiers to hand the Blue Bulls scrum-half the number nine jersey that Ricky January has more than adequately filled during the Tri-Nations.

Saturday will see Du Preez start his first Test in the De Villiers era, but the World-Cup winner says his integration back into the Springbok setup has been a smooth one.

"It's going quite well, I've only had a week and a half with the squad. I'm back into the team earlier than I expected but I worked hard while I was injured to get back into the squad," said Du Preez in Cape Town on Thursday.

Du Preez added that his injured hand had recovered 100 per cent, but that his lack of gametime since his return meant that he is unlikely to play for 80 minutes this weekend.

"I haven't played a full game in three months now, so I think Ricky will get a bit of gametime," he explained.

"It's difficult to say [what my form is like] because I haven't played enough, but I'm getting there. Obviously playing the All Blacks isn't the easiest game around."

Like Du Preez, All Blacks' scrum-half Jimmy Cowen brings more of a kicking game than his alternative. Not only do the players process similar style, but they know each other inside out having come up through the respective ranks at the same time.

"I played against [Cowen] a lot," said the 26-year-old.

"He's the same age as me, so since U19's we've played against each other. He brings something different to their team.

"I think the All Blacks changed their tactics in the second Test against Australia, [Cowen] and Carter kicked a lot and it obviously worked well for them."

Under Jake White Du Preez help a lot of responsibility as a senior member of the Springbok team. Having only recently joined the squad under Peter de Villiers, he says that role will come later as he is concentrating on his game for the moment.

"I'm starting to get there. I obviously first wanted to get into the squad and now into the team. I've still got some responsibility, but for now I just want to get my form back and help the team play better," he said, adding that he still enjoyed the freedom on the field that he did the previous coach.

"I've always been allowed to do whatever I've wanted - even more so now. I can do whatever I want to on the field, but I'll always do what I think is best for the team."

Du Preez made headlines at the start of the Super 14 when he said that he didn't enjoy playing under the ELVs. Six months later, he is a little more optimistic.

"A lot of things have change since then," he said.

"The thing is there are still a lot of different rules around. We're playing the Currie Cup under yet another set so it's a little confusing. I think at the end of the Super 14 the ELVs were a lot better for us. I think the Bulls just took too long to adapt to them.

"You have to accept [the ELVs]. As South Africans we did so well under the old rules, why would we support the new ones? But they're here now and we've all accepted it. We'll just have to see what rules we'll play under next year."

All Blacks coaches Graham Henry and Wayne Smith have called Du Preez the best scrum-half in the world, but the Pretoria native would prefer to do his talking on the field.

"It's a very big compliment to hear that from coaches of that caliber. I've been called the worse scrum-half in the world too, so I don't read too much into it, I just want to get back to my top form. Whatever they say, is probably based on last year's form," he quipped.

A lot has been made of Peter de Villiers' new, supposedly more expansive, style of play and the importance of kicking under the ELV's, but Du Preez doesn't believe that a lot has changed.

"I think in Test matches against the All Blacks, whether it's under old rules, new rules, or whatever rules, there will always be a lot of kicking," he commented.

"That's Test match rugby, it's always a tactical battle. But there's room for everything in the new game so there'll be a lot of kicking but a lot of running as well. We'll just have to see how the game evolves.

"I've only played 30 minutes against a weakened Argentina team, so it's difficult to [comment on de Villiers' style] but it's not that much different to what I've been used to over the years, even at the Bulls at the end of the Super 14."

Quite understandably "the world's best scrum-half" was reluctant to respond to certain members of Parliament's comments that he shouldn't be in the team.

"I don't want to get involved in politics. I'm just a South African who wants to play rugby," he said.

"I'm the proudest member of South African society. I just want to play and Peter's picked me now so I'm going to have to produce the goods on Saturday."

By Ross Hastie in Cape Town.