Du Preez aiming for huge Sharks impact
NEW SOUTH AFRICAN FLY-HALF NOT PHASED BY PREEZ-ING WEATHER
I want to serve this team to the best of my ability and soak up everything Sale Sharks’ Robert du Preez
NEW Sale fly-half Robert du Preez wants to use his three-month loan spell at the club to improve his own game – while also contributing on the pitch for the Sharks as they look to climb the Gallagher Premiership table, starting with Saturday’s game against Saracens.
Steve Diamond’s side sit 11th in the league following their win against Newcastle back in October and, after their trip to Allianz Park, take on Northampton and Bath.
And they are three games Du Preez is likely to play a major role in.
He said: “I want to serve this team to the best of my ability and soak up everything while I’m here.
“We go into pre-season back at Sharks in Durban so I’m only here for three months so my biggest thing is to learn different ways of playing and, hopefully, take that back to Durban and apply it.”
Signed as a replacement for the injured AJ MacGinty, Du Preez is preparing to make his first Premiership appearance this weekend having made his bow in the side against Leicester in the Premiership Cup win on Friday night.
“The Premiership is one of the best leagues in the world,” Du Preez said.
“I think it’s up there with Super Rugby, if not better, so it would be good to test myself against the best players and, hopefully, it brings out the best in me.” The South African international played 50 minutes and converted two first-half penalties against Leicester, and is enjoying his time at the club so far. He said: “It was an easy transition, obviously it’s really cold! I’ve just come out of the summer in South Africa and moved to the winter here. But the guys have been really good with me, Jono Ross especially, he messaged me two weeks before I got here so it’s been an easy transition.” However, Du Preez will have to wait until the home fixture against Northampton on November 24 to feature in his first game at the AJ Bell Stadium, but is looking forward to playing in-front of the Sale supporters having been in attendance for the 15-15 draw against Saracens earlier this month. “I quite enjoy a smaller stadium even if it’s half full, it sounds like it’s full whereas in Durban we have a 45,000-seater stadium and we barely ever get it full,” the 25-year-old explained. “Although there was around 6,000 people there it still sounded full. “That was a really cool experience and I can’t wait to get out in front of that crowd,” added Du Preez.