Discipline dilemmas, a bruising in Brisbane and Fourie du Preez back for the Springboks spells humiliation for the Australian rugby team at Newlands.
Springbok coach has finally got his wish with the return of Du Preez. But for how long?
Fourie du Preez has urged Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer to pick Francois Hougaard instead of him for the home series against England next month.
The Springboks’ Rugby World Cup title defence came to an end with a nail-biting 11-9 quarterfinal loss to Australia in Wellington on Sunday.
Australia’s Will Genia says he will be lining up against the best scrumhalf he’s seen "by far" if Fourie du Preez returns to the Bok side on Saturday.
Bulls players are firmly focused on the task at hand: to beat the Sharks in their Super Rugby match.
No image available
/ 16 February 2011
The Bulls could not have received a more timely boost as they prepare for the Super 15 championship kick-off than the return of Fourie du Preez.
As an outsider looking in, Fourie du Preez wouldn’t change anything in the current Springbok set-up.
No image available
/ 5 February 2010
The final season of Super 14 rugby gets under way next week with a SA team the defending champions. It’s worth taking note of both those statements.
No image available
/ 3 November 2009
Springbok scrum-half Fourie du Preez capped a wonderful three days in his career on Monday when named South Africa Rugby Player of the Year.
No image available
/ 28 October 2009
Blue Bulls stars Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez will mark their 50th appearances for the Bulls in Saturday’s Currie cup final.
No image available
/ 19 November 2008
The Springboks head into their final Test of 2008 seeking a morale-boosting victory against England on Saturday.
The hot topic of transformation in sport boiled to the surface again this week, somewhat predictably in the domain of rugby.
Fourie du Preez and Jaque Fourie have followed up their glory-filled run as first choice World Cup-winning Springboks by not doing much.
World Cup winners Fourie du Preez and Jaque Fourie returned to a 30-man South African squad on Monday for next month’s Test against Argentina.
Springbok captain John Smit will be released from national duty to fulfil his commitments to French club Clermont, SA Rugby announced on Wednesday. Smit would return to Clermont on June 15 to play in the French Top 14 semifinals on June 21 and the final on June 28 if necessary, SA Rugby said in a statement.
The Springboks may well have to do without the world’s number one scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez, in their first three Tests of the season, and the Blue Bulls could be without their top three scrumhalves when the Currie Cup kicks off on June 20. This follows confirmation that Springbok and Bulls scrumhalf Fourie du Preez has suffered a broken bone in his left hand.
Isma-eel Dollie as one of a few lesser surprises in the Springbok training squad of 42 members that was named on Saturday night. The new Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, has included a number of players who are not regulars for their Super 14 franchises or who had limited opportunities because of injury this season.
New Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is spoilt for choice ahead of the Springboks’ first Test of the year, against Six Nations champions Wales on June 7 in Bloemfontein. De Villiers, who took over from World Cup-winning coach Jake White at the beginning of the year, names his first South Africa squad on Saturday.
The Bulls combined strong forward play with outstanding defence to record a 28-17 win over the ACT Brumbies in the penultimate round of the 2008 edition of the Super 14 competition. The defending champions from South Africa, who led 18-10 at the break, outscored the men from Australia three tries to two.
Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez could be heading to Europe as early as next month if he decides to accept one of four offers he has received. The Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Sondag reported that Du Preez is currently considering four offers and has not ruled out the option of an imminent move after the Super 14.
An early four-try scoring blitz fashioned a 50-22 Super 14 triumph for Wellington Hurricanes over title holders Northern Bulls on Saturday. ”We were shocking,” was the blunt assessment of scrumhalf and captain Fourie du Preez as the Bulls returned to their home ground after a dismal four-match Australasia tour.
Bulls loose forward Pedrie Wannenburg will become the most capped Bulls player in Super rugby when he takes the field against the Western Force in Perth on Friday. Wannenburg, who was selected as flank alongside Wikus van Heerden, will surpass Victor Matfield’s record of 77 matches for the franchise.
Auckland flyhalf Nick Evans landed a drop goal seven minutes from time to guide the Blues to a 23-21 win over defending Super 14 champions the Bulls on Saturday. Evans, returning to the New Zealand franchise after two weeks out with concussion, also kicked two penalties and two conversions to help the Blues pinch victory despite the Bulls outscoring them three tries to two.
Pierre Spies has been included in the Bulls side to play the Blues in a Super 14 match in Auckland on Saturday. The inclusion of the Springbok number eight is a major boost for the defending champions, who have won only two of their six matches to date and were outplayed by two of the competition’s weaker sides over the past two weekends.
The Bulls will be without Bryan Habana for their Super 14 match against the Chiefs in Roturua on Saturday. The 2007 IRB Player of the Year has not been considered due to a recurrence of a shoulder injury, and Danwel Demas will replace him on the left wing.
Under-fire Queensland Reds bounded out of the Super 14 rugby doldrums with a 40-8 demolition of fading champions the Northern Bulls of South Africa in Brisbane on Saturday. The Reds cashed in with five tries for their first bonus-point victory in the southern-hemisphere competition in four years.
No image available
/ 28 February 2008
The Sharks and the Bulls will stage a replay of last year’s final in the third round of the Super 14 this weekend, with both teams attempting to prevent recent glory days from ebbing away. The Sharks won their first two matches by narrow margins, 17-10 over the Western Force and 12-10 — relying on penalties — over the Stormers.
No image available
/ 27 February 2008
The Bulls have included their fit-again World Cup Springboks Bakkies Botha and Akona Ndungane in the team to play the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in a repeat of last year’s Super 14 final. Their inclusion was expected, pending their fitness, but coach Frans Ludeke made a surprise selection of Morne Steyn at flyhalf, while giving Springbok Derick Hougaard a rest.
No image available
/ 30 January 2008
The Bulls have included three of their previously injured World Cup Springboks in the side to play the Lions in a warm-up match in Windhoek on Saturday. Danie Rossouw, Gurthro Steenkamp and Akon Ndungane have all been given the green light, and the starting line-up is arguably the best Frans Ludeke could have selected.
No image available
/ 16 January 2008
The one-and-a-half-day visit of Eddie Jones to the Bulls was worthwhile — and the Super 14 champions have learnt a lot from it. Bulls forward coach Pote Human and the franchise’s new captain, Fourie du Preez, were unanimous in their view that the former Brumbies and Wallaby coach had lots to offer the Bulls.
No image available
/ 29 December 2007
The early stages of the 2008 Super 14 competition could be especially challenging for the five South African franchises — three of the teams have new coaches, and the training of all five has been affected to various degrees by the resting of their Springboks after the United Kingdom tour.