Celebrating the carers
“COOKING for eight is not a problem, cooking for two is a problem – what will I do when they are not there?”
That’s Sonja du Preez, wife of Sharks rugby coach Robert du Preez and mother to Sharks players Rob, Dan and Jean-Luc, talking about her large family and the chaos and fun that come with having a brood of boys in the home.
In an exclusive interview with The Independent on Saturday, Sonja and the three players who have become a force on the rugby field – Rob, 24, and twins Jean-Luc and Dan, 22, sat down for a chat ahead of Mother’s Day tomorrow.
And with her sigh over a beckoning empty nest, all three were quick to reassure her that she’s pivotal in their lives.
Sonja has three other grown-up children, two daughters and another son, from a previous marriage. She is also a grandmother to seven little ones, so has spent many years managing the bustle and demands of a big family.
She loves cooking some favourite meals for her three sons at home – sheep’s neck with green beans for Jean-Luc, an Italian pasta and fagioli for Rob, and prawn pasta for Dan – which highlights her years of experience in the kitchen.
While her grocery shopping probably takes some time, “a lot of eggs and meat for protein”, there’s also those big washing loads “I had and I have”, she says.
Not that she cooks all the time, as the family braai a couple of times a week, with large steaks helping to bolster the protein requirements crucial for rugby players.
And for all the mothers out there who will be spoilt this weekend, Sonja says: “Enjoy your children. My mother used to say when you can cover them under one blanket, you don’t have any worries.”
The brothers recall moments with their mom as they were growing up, with Rob saying: “When I changed schools in Grade 1, I used to cry every day as I didn’t want to go to school until she promised we could go to Nino’s for breakfast if I didn’t cry when I got to school.”
There’s a round of laughter about that, while the twins agree: “From when we were five years old, she was at every game. She was always on the sidelines.”
Lessons from Sonja are well entrenched, with Jean Luc highlighting “to think before I speak”, while Rob says: “We all know my dad has a high profile, but she has always taught us that we can’t rely on him to get to where we want to be.” Dan says: “When I go out the door, she tells me ‘we want lots of tries’.”
When the men in her life are away for matches, Sonja enjoys some “me time reading and relaxing”.
The family will be taking her out for lunch on Mother’s Day, but of course there’s the battle between the Sharks and traditional foes the Blue Bulls at Loftus to conquer first this afternoon.