Du Preez set to depart with mixed feelings
Du Preez has enjoyed a roller-coaster 12 weeks with Munster in Ireland and South Africa in Europe, and he is delighted to have added Munster to his growing CV at a difficult time for the two-time Heineken Cup champions.
Munster coach Tony McGahan yesterday praised the South African for his contribution: “Wian has been excellent for us, it was brilliant that he came in a third of the way through the season (as an urgently required replacement for Marcus Horan) and fitted in so well; his set-piece play and his play around the field was immense, his contribution was a very important part of our recent success.”
The respect is clearly mutual, and du Preez leaves with mixed feelings. He can’t wait to get stuck into the Super 15 tournament, and sees that competition as an opportunity for him to build his reputation with national coach Peter de Villiers, having earned his first stripe in the autumn international against Italy.
Yet, his memories of Ireland and Munster are very good. “I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone,” he said.
“I really enjoyed everything about this experience, it blew my expectations away. It was the team spirit, the way the guys played for each other, the atmosphere, everything, the whole package was very special.”
Reflecting on his short time here, the unforgettable highlights were the two games against Perpignan. He said: “For the atmosphere and the intensity of the game, the one here (in Thomond Park) was amazing but it couldn’t have prepared me for the re-match, for the way we beat them and for what it clearly meant to the rest of the team at the end of the game.
“That performance and the victory was up there with anything I have ever achieved in South Africa with my teams; to go and take on the French champions and beat them the way we did was simply awesome. People might be surprised by the margin but I certainly wasn’t surprised that we won; everything for the few weeks before that was in an upward curve and I (as a semi-outsider) noticed little improvements bit by bit in the build up. Everything came together on the day and I’ll never forget that.”
As he prepares for his last game, he expects it to be a taxing night at the office. “I wasn’t surprised, for instance, at Northampton’s win over Perpignan because they had to win to stay in with a chance of going through, a bit like Munster had to do down in Treviso. It sets it up and it’s good that it’s going to be such an important game for both sides; we certainly won’t lose our focus in relation to what is needed to get through to the quarter-finals,” he said.
Du Preez hopes to play tonight as he would like if Munster had reached the final. “Because it is my last game, I must look upon it as a final; I would dearly love to leave for home on a winning note, it would be the cherry on the cake for me and great for Munster too.”
In the weeks and months to come, du Preez will keep one eye on European and Celtic competitions with a particular emphasis on how Munster fare. “I’ll be watching out for them in whatever way I must, hopefully get to see a bit of them on television and come final day in May, I’ll be cheering them on in the hope they get what I think they really deserve. Maybe there will be a medal there for me too! It is a fantastic side, a really great squad with a brilliant captain; he (Paul O’Connell) is such a powerful player, leader and really nice person.”
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