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Sale Sharks No.8 Du Preez opens talks with Top 14 big boys
By Neil Fissler
Top 14 pace setters Bordeaux Begles have made the recruitment of a new No.8 a priority for next season, and they have revived their interest in Sale Sharks former Springbok international Dan du Preez.
Durban-born du Preez, 29, joined the Manchester-based club with twin Jean-Luc from their Durban namesakes on a permanent basis in July 2019, joining a third sibling, Rob, at the club.
Bordeaux need to find someone to replace Tongan-born Japanese international Tevita Tatafu, who will return to Japan’s League One when his contract runs out at the end of the season.
Tatafu, 28, has played 15 times for Japan and spent four seasons playing for Tokyo Sungoliath before moving to Bordeaux in 2023, where he has scored seven tries in 30 appearances.
He missed out on selection for the Rugby World Cup but was recalled to Eddie Jones’s Cherry Blossom squad in the summer, playing in the defeats against Georgia and Italy.
Du Preez is due to be under contract to the Sharks until the end of the 2025/26 season, but sources in South Africa tell RugbyPass that a move is very much on the cards after he was sounded out.
He is closing in on 100 games for the Sharks and will play his first game of the season tomorrow night against a Newcastle Falcons side coached by Steve Diamond, who took all three brothers to the club.
Du Preez has been out of action since January after he suffered a serious knee injury against Gloucester, and it's not the first time that he has been linked with a move away from Sale.
In 2021, he and Jean-Luc were wanted by their former club, but Sale kept them in the North-West. Two years ago, Les Girondins were keen on a deal, but again, Alex Sanderson and the Sharks fought off the interest.
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Latest Comments
Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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