Top-flight rugby has Du Preez clan chomping at the bit
by Khanyiso Tshwaku,
2016-03-09 05:00:00.0
RUGBY often has interesting contests that take on many forms. The one that may involve the Du Preez family when the Stormers face the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday will be fascinating
It is fair to say the Du Preez household along with extended relatives will be on tenterhooks.
Siblings playing together or against each other is a common occurrence. When there is a set of twins playing — a father coaching in the one team and another brother in the opposing team — it lends itself to a hi-octane family rivalry.
Older brother and Stormers flyhalf Robert du Preez learnt on Tuesday that he would be out of the game for three months after suffering a grade two to three medial cruciate ligament tear and a partial posterior cruciate injury while playing against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last weekend. So, the clash with Sharks twin brothers Daniel and Jean-Luc will have to wait for another day.
As will dad, Robert senior — the Sharks backline coach — have to put the family "reunion" on hold for at least 12 weeks.
Plotting the one son’s demise with the other two would have been be one of the weirdest feelings a coach may ever have.
While the younger Du Preez twins seem well-versed in the art of breaking the advantage line, keeping flyhalves quiet is something they need to learn.
They tried their best to keep Jaguares flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez under wraps, but they may have a better understanding of how their elder brother operates.
Coach Robert, before his son’s injury, would have found himself with the job of letting the Sharks players in on Robert junior’s strengths and weaknesses. One of his son’s weaknesses has been his tactical kicking.
Du Preez was noncommittal about how the Sharks will approach the Stormers game or if his son would have been singled out for special treatment.
The Sharks may have put six tries past the hapless Southern Kings during the tournament’s opening weekend, but on Saturday, against the Jaguares, they reverted to 2015-type, with the team’s sole try coming from a rolling maul.
"We’re a work in progress and we are getting better as we go along. It’s going to be a long season, but if the pre-season games are included, then it’s four from four for us," said Du Preez senior.
"The Stormers are quite similar to us as a team in terms of the way that we want to play. We’re under no illusions as to what awaits us in Cape Town.
"This last week was difficult, especially with the ball being slippery because of the (humid) conditions. However, that’s what you get at this time of the year.
"The intent was there, but we coughed up too much ball. We created a fair few opportunities, but we should have converted more of them."
SET BACK: Robert du Preez in action for the Stormers last weekend, but he will be sidelined for 12 weeks. Picture: GALLO IMAGES
RUGBY often has interesting contests that take on many forms. The one that may involve the Du Preez family when the Stormers face the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday will be fascinating
It is fair to say the Du Preez household along with extended relatives will be on tenterhooks.
Siblings playing together or against each other is a common occurrence. When there is a set of twins playing — a father coaching in the one team and another brother in the opposing team — it lends itself to a hi-octane family rivalry.
Older brother and Stormers flyhalf Robert du Preez learnt on Tuesday that he would be out of the game for three months after suffering a grade two to three medial cruciate ligament tear and a partial posterior cruciate injury while playing against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last weekend. So, the clash with Sharks twin brothers Daniel and Jean-Luc will have to wait for another day.
As will dad, Robert senior — the Sharks backline coach — have to put the family "reunion" on hold for at least 12 weeks.
Plotting the one son’s demise with the other two would have been be one of the weirdest feelings a coach may ever have.
While the younger Du Preez twins seem well-versed in the art of breaking the advantage line, keeping flyhalves quiet is something they need to learn.
They tried their best to keep Jaguares flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez under wraps, but they may have a better understanding of how their elder brother operates.
Coach Robert, before his son’s injury, would have found himself with the job of letting the Sharks players in on Robert junior’s strengths and weaknesses. One of his son’s weaknesses has been his tactical kicking.
Du Preez was noncommittal about how the Sharks will approach the Stormers game or if his son would have been singled out for special treatment.
The Sharks may have put six tries past the hapless Southern Kings during the tournament’s opening weekend, but on Saturday, against the Jaguares, they reverted to 2015-type, with the team’s sole try coming from a rolling maul.
"We’re a work in progress and we are getting better as we go along. It’s going to be a long season, but if the pre-season games are included, then it’s four from four for us," said Du Preez senior.
"The Stormers are quite similar to us as a team in terms of the way that we want to play. We’re under no illusions as to what awaits us in Cape Town.
"This last week was difficult, especially with the ball being slippery because of the (humid) conditions. However, that’s what you get at this time of the year.
"The intent was there, but we coughed up too much ball. We created a fair few opportunities, but we should have converted more of them."
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