You are here
Home > EltasZone > Morne Steyn: ‘It would be stupid not to use Fourie du Preez’

Morne Steyn: ‘It would be stupid not to use Fourie du Preez’

  • Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn said it would be stupid for South African rugby and the Bulls not to use Fourie du Preez’s rugby intelligence.
  • Du Preez joined the Bulls on a consultancy role last week, in which he will work with Ivan van Zyl and Embrose Papier.
  • The Bulls face the Sharks at Loftus, where their halfbacks will aim to contain the in-form Sanele Nohamaba.

Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn has said what a lot of people had been thinking, that it would be stupid for the entire South African rugby eco-system not to use retired World Cup-winning Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez in some coaching role.

Last week, the Bulls confirmed that Du Preez had been roped in to consult on a once-a-week basis by the director of rugby Jakes White, his former Bok coach, to work with burgeoning scrumhalves Ivan van Zyl and Embrose Papier.

It could yet prove to be another foxy move by White, who has been hard at work trying to rebuild the Bulls into the dynastic franchise that contributed key players – such as Du Preez – to his 2007 World Cup winners.

“I think it would be stupid of South Africa and the Bulls not to use him,” Steyn told media at a Vodacom Fun mini kicking clinic at Loftus.

“The Bulls are doing a great job now in pulling him in a little bit. But, yeah, it would be stupid not to use him.

“Would you just let a guy like him go? The Bulls did a great job to get him.”

Du Preez has been reluctant to coach since he retired in 2016, closing one of the most illustrious individual on-field chapters in rugby history.

The former Bulls No 9 won everything there is to win as a Southern Hemisphere player before finishing off his playing days in Japan, after three World Cup appearances, a British and Irish Lions tour win (as Steyn’s halfback partner) and Tri-Nations trophy.

It wasn’t only the accolades he acquired that made him a great player – some say the greatest nine South Africa’s ever had – but it was his understanding of the game, his high rugby IQ and the way he could manipulate the game from halfback no one before him or since. He could teach the Bulls duo how to dictate the tempo and to improve their respective kicking games. 

Steyn, who could be the biggest secondary beneficiary, said he couldn’t wait to see the impact Du Preez would have on Van Zyl and Papier, both of whom are capped Boks but missed out on World Cup selection last year after dropping off in form.

“I think he’s been coming once a week for three weeks now,” said Steyn.

“It’s gonna be a good thing for the nines to learn. You always want to learn from the best and Fourie is a great example.

“I played with him and he was definitely one of the best scrumhalves in the world. For our nines to just be able to learn from him, is going to be good.

“He might change some small things, but I think it will definitely help them overall and I’m looking forward to them going to the next level.”

The Bulls face the Sharks at Loftus this weekend in a Super Rugby Unlocked game that could hinge on whether the Bulls halfbacks can counter or contain Sanele Nohamba, who is on an unstoppable tear at the moment.

FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppBloggerShare
Tutorialspoint
el-admin
el-admin
EltasZone Sportswriters, Sports Analysts, Opinion columnists, editorials and op-eds. Analysis from The Zone Team
Similar Articles
Top