adminJOHANNESBURG. — South Africa are so obsessed with experience going into the Rugby World Cup that they have included scrum-half Fourie du Preez although he has not played for seven months. A survivor of the 2007 World Cup-winning team, Du Preez has not featured in a Test since being injured against Scotland in the middle of last year.
The last competitive match for the 33-year-old was with his Japanese club in February and a proposed comeback during the 2015 Rugby Championship failed to materialise because of a training ground knee injury.
Lured out of international retirement in 2013, Du Preez admits it will take time to regain Test-level sharpness. “Parts of my game will not be ready,” he concedes. “I will have to find them during the World Cup. I do not have a choice. “I will give my best for the Springboks and if that is not enough, so be it. I put a lot of pressure on myself and it is a good challenge.”
The Springboks squad has suffered a glut of injuries during the build-up to the global rugby showpiece in England. Du Preez, skipper and centre Jean de Villiers and No. 8 Duane Vermeulen are the most notable ‘crocks’, but several other likely first choices will fly to England this weekend distinctly ring rusty.
De Villiers has been particularly unlucky as he broke his jaw against Argentina last month just weeks after completing a miraculous recovery from a career-threatening knee injury.
Columnist and former Springboks official Mark Keohane believes coach Heyneke Meyer is taking a huge gamble. — AFP.
Online Reporter