Du Preez cashes in on chance
Kings flanker racks up three tries after flying in to replace ill Watson
THE nasty tummy bug that laid EP Kings skipper Luke Watson low ahead of his team’s game against the Border Bulldogs proved to be a blessing in disguise for try-hungry teammate Cornell du Preez.
When a weakened Watson was forced to pull out, Du Preez was hastily flown to East London on Friday to take his place and the rugged flank grabbed his chance with both hands to score a hat-trick of tries.
Five tries in his past two matches has catapulted the bullocking Du Preez to joint second place in the list of leading try scorers in the Absa Currie Cup First Division.
The 21-year-old former Baby Bok has now crossed the line seven times for EP and has played a major role in helping the Kings soar to the top of the First Division table.
Du Preez’s hat-trick helped to steer his team to a comfortable 35-19 victory against the Bulldogs and keep them firmly on track for the First Division title.
With the Kings operating a rotation policy to keep their players fresh, Du Preez had been supposed to sit out the Border match.
“Luke had to pull out shortly before the match with a tummy bug and Cornell was flown up as his replacement at the last minute,” EP’s public relations manager Sakhi Gqeba said.
In his previous game against the Falcons, Du Preez scored two impressive tries in a comfortable 45-24 win for the men in the red and black hoops.
Du Preez, who joined the Kings on a two-year contract last year from the Leopards, has been showing the sort of form that made him one of the most promising players in the country and earned him selection for the Baby Bok team that played at the IRB Junior World Championship in Italy last year.
A former Framesby High pupil, Du Preez is now only one try behind joint top try scorers Johan Herbst (SWD Eagles), Allister Kettledas (Leopards), JW Bell (Falcons) and JW Jonker (Pumas), who have all dotted down on eight occasions.
EP skipper Watson has also been in prolific try-scoring form and along with Du Preez also has seven tries to his name.
Though he was born in Port Elizabeth, Du Preez went to North West University in Potchefstroom, where he played in the Varsity Cup for NWU-Pukke.
He represented the Leopards in the under-19 and u-21 Currie Cup competitions.
Following their Du Preez-inspired win over Border, the Kings will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak to 12 matches when they host the third-placed Griffons at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday.