Fourie Du Preez reconsiders retirement from international rugby

Fourie du Preez says he feels like he has unfinished business with the Springboks.

In a 2011 interview the former Springbok and Bulls scrumhalf told SA Rugby magazine that the 2011 World Cup would be his last international assignment. However, with his mentor Heyneke Meyer being appointed Springbok coach and the disappointment of their quarter-final exit against Australia, Du Preez, who plays for Suntory Goliath in Japan, is reconsidering that decision.

‘When I originally decided to come over to Japan, I thought 2011 would be my target and that getting to the World Cup would be it,’ he told the International Rugby Board’s radio show, Total Rugby.

‘Losing to Australia might have changed that. Coming over has been a lot better than I thought and I’ve been able to get back into shape. Maybe that hunger is back again. It is still too early to say. I haven’t got around it in my head whether it will be good or bad for me. Never say never.’

Meyer is known to still rate the 29-year-old highly and has intimated that he would consider picking foreign-based players. Their would be concerns around the comparatively low standard of rugby in Japan, but Du Preez challenged those perceptions.

‘I see the top games here. It’s faster than what we’ve been used to. The guys are skillful and happy to learn. I’ve been really surprised. A lot of people think it’s easy rugby, but it’s been pretty tough. If you watch any top game the skill and structure levels are top-class. It’s been quite refreshing,’ he said.

Du Preez added that he has adjusted well to life in Tokyo. ‘At first you’re really scared. I’ve lived in Pretoria my whole life, so getting out of there would have taken a huge adjustment,’ he said.

‘It is something really different. As an international player you see the whole world except Asia. Japan is an awesome place. I’ve only been here four months but this has been a life-changing experience.’

Fourie will have a huge task to dispace Hougaard. I do not like having two halfbacks posing little attacking threat. Fourie will have to prove himself again.

The Japanese are not renowned for their physicality, but they are very skillful, very technical. It's a good environment for a backline player. When assessing a move abroad, you have to take these things into consideration. There is this arrogant and ignorant perception that any move abroad is inferior to staying in South Africa. Most countries provide significantly better coaching than SA in a far more professional setup. Countries like Japan and France, even Wales and Ireland are far better for backs to thrive and, more importantly, learn. Robbie Fleck stated that the first time he ever learnt to offload was when he moved to Wales! Monty rebuilt himself into one of the greatest fullbacks of the modern era at Newport. Mujati has developed very much in the more rugged and forward orientated climate of the UK; a place that values forward play significantly and coaches better technique and is more focused on conditioning than SA. And Pienaar has developed his tactical appreciation of the game in the UK. So in short, the scoffers should be wary to disregard Du Preez. Afterall, he is still one of our two best scrumhalves. His experience and game management are exceptionally better than Hougaard's, and he is a more calculated threat on attack than Hougaard's free roaming style of play. He must be in the squad.

You could be right Card but I want to see him play like the Du Preez of old. He has not played well for  awhile before the WC and had an ordinary world cup in my view. One does have to take into account the injuries that hampered his form.

To me its not automatic that he is better than Hougaard.

There was a number of very cklear memories of Fourie Du Preez as scrumhalf.   Thee is a loose scrum on the half way line at Twickenham.  His forwards won the ball and it came out slowly - but where is the scrumhalf - he is missing, the POMS got the ball and scored the winning try.  

The other cases of equal ability showed him waving at the forwards to go into the back line - allowing the opposition defence to get into line - but with the forwards gone - the All Blacks attack the ew remaining ones and push them off the ball - classic turnover in possession.

Fourie had his good games and moments in games - but they were few and far between.  He must do us a big favour and get lost - not try and destroy SA rugby again and again.

I think it's time to move on from FDP. Hougaard is an adequate replacement besides it's a good time to invest in youth with regards to the position.

Du Preez was one of our best players during the World Cup, a moderate analysis would be enough to uncover that fact.

This string has two very different views of F du Preez. I agree with both....he was a master tactician at times.....and in RWC 07 his speed cut the Poms and Bargies in half. In RWC11 he was the guy who charged down the kick that gave us a great scoring chance, botched by that dolt Fury.

But I also agree with Mike, at times he could be an incredible ditherer.....and arm waver.

Personally I hope he stays retired because as long as tactical leadership resides in the scrummie, up and unders will proliferate. It's time to move on to broader tactics, and for that,  the flyhlaf has to be the creative leader.

The sad thing is that injury over a substantial time period invariably takes the shine off  brilliant star players...they never regain that exceptional quality they once had and this particularly true to halves. Butch James...Juan Hernandez...Freddie Michalak and many others have faced severe injury and never returned to where they left off and I believe that's where Fourie finds himself.

It's just a fact of life...like a champion boxer who meets his Waterloo...struggles to make a comeback.

Ofcourse there is always an exception but I get the feeling that is not the case here...did not impress 2011 WC and besides there is plenty of talent floating about.

The modern game demands more from your scrumhalf. He is the first to get hold of the ball and with the advent of increased speed in-game, you have to do more with the ball much faster than ever before. That's where the more successful sides have a 9 who is the greater tactician and a fly half who is more a link with good decision making. Hougaard no doubt deserves his chance to start for the Boks, but there is no other 9 in the world besides him that can honestly take on Du Preez. Having him in the squad bolsters the team significantly. Furthermore, I do not believe injury to be the big issue with Du Preez. I think it more a case of poor conditioning and too much playing demands on him. It's no secret that our players actually regressed physically when with Peter's Boks. His time in Japan will have refreshed him and offered him something contrary to the staleness of the SH game.

The proof ulitmately will be how well he is playing. He would need to be going better than he has in recent times. If the time in Japan has allowed him to shape up keep an open mind and see how he goes. He has to prove himself.