Happy return for du Preez

WIAN du Preez thought long and hard before deciding a return to Munster for the next two seasons was in his best interests.

As the holder of two South African caps and regarded as one of the finest front-row practitioners available to Springbok coach Pieter de Villiers, he was very much in line for a place in the World Cup squad set to defend their title in New Zealand in 2011.

However, the return home of CJ van der Linde and BJ Botha after their respective stints with Leinster and Ulster along with the presence of a whole crop of highly-rated props vying for Springbok recognition convinced him that another session with Munster was just the job until the World Cup was over and done with. The 27-year-old from Orange Free State had the happiest of memories from the three months spent with the side last season and last night was happy to report that nothing has changed in the meantime.

“It was a really good opportunity to come to Munster and my wife Ennelle and I decided it was the best thing to do at this time,” he said.

“Going into a World Cup year, it was a difficult choice but there are loads of talented props going around in South Africa. Also, you have BJ and CJ going back so there was lots of competition, even a guy like John Smit can play loose head or tight head. Of course it was a difficult decision to make but hopefully in two years time it will be the right decision. I’ll still be young enough when the World Cup is over. I’ll be 29 and in prop years, that’s still a young age.

“Every South African boy, as soon as he is born, dreams of playing for the Springboks and I’m no different. Inside me, I always want to play for them but I’m going to give my best for Munster so that I can maintain my form whatever the decision is after two years. My Cheetahs contract was up and obviously they made me an offer to keep me there in South Africa. A few clubs in the Northern Hemisphere and a few back home were also interested so I weighed up the differences and here I am again.”

Du Preez isn’t the kind of person who might view the trials and tribulations of the Boks in the Tri Nations Championship with any kind of mean or sardonic kind of satisfaction. While accepting that they have had three difficult away assignments, he believes “they will be fired up for the game this Saturday against the All Blacks. They have three games at home now and I know they’ll be motivated like mad to get a result. 2006 also wasn’t a good year for the Springboks but they won the World Cup in 2007 so maybe this bad start is a good omen.”

Wian and Ennelle genuinely enjoyed their time here last year and so the decision to return was all the easier on that count. He will again be based in Limerick and expresses a genuine belief that great things lie just around the corner for the side no matter what the doubting Thomases might say about a team growing old together and so on.

“There is something special about this club,” he enthused. “You think of Thomond Park being full for Heineken Cup games… the supporters driving to all the away games… I’m just looking forward to being a part of it for the next couple of years.

“They’re a fun bunch of guys here. Everyone made me welcome when I came over in December and it’s the same story now.”

It is no surprise that du Preez looks back on the two Heineken Cup matches against Perpignan last December with the happiest of memories. Both were won against the then reigning French champions with a level of performance that the side unfortunately was unable to reproduce in the later rounds of the competition.

After their second meeting in the Stade Aime Giral, I wrote that “Wian du Preez has proved one of Munster’s astute signings” after he, Denis Fogarty and John Hayes had more than held their own against the powerful Perpignan trio of Jerome Schuster, Marius Tincu and Nicolas Mas. Munster won by a sensational 37-14 to put their precarious, single point 24-23 victory the previous week at Thomond Park in the shade!

“The home game was my first in the Heineken Cup,” he recalled. “The atmosphere was sensational while everything clicked the following week and it was a really good game to be part of and a good win to come away with. It was one of those special games when just about everything went right.”

Du Preez says he isn’t fazed by the knowledge that he has a major battle on his hands if he is to tie down the number one jersey given the presence of the vastly experienced and successful Marcus Horan and Dave Ryan and a number of young loose head props also putting their hands up for recognition.

“I’m fully aware that there are loads of props in the squad, the experienced guys and the young fellows coming through,” he acknowledged. “But competition is always good. It pushes you to go harder and push yourself more so it’s a good place to be.”

And Wian’s ambitions for the next couple of years?

“To play good rugby, to put in everything, to be part of special games and hopefully bring back trophies again to Thomond Park.”

It’s an aim that will strike a chord with every member of the Red Army!