... and Du Preez also deserves to get the nod

CORNELL DU PREEZ isn’t far away from another Scotland call-up, which would be just reward for bravely fighting back from a career-threatening injury. In his first game for Worcester Warriors, following his move from Edinburgh in August 2018, the back-row forward was hit in his voice box and needed immediate surgery. The South African-born No 8, who qualified for Scotland through residency, was left unable to speak for a month and had to be fed through a tube in his nose. He was kept in hospital for a month but recovered quickly and returned to action seven months later. Du Preez, who has not played for his adopted country since the 2018 Six Nations, is in the form of his life at Worcester Warriors and has just signed a two-year contract extension. He is still just 28 and is the type of hard man that could benefit Scotland by playing No 8 in the Six Nations. Matt Fagerson is a rising star in the same position for Glasgow Warriors but he is still a bit raw to start there regularly for Scotland. Ryan Wilson can do a job at No 8 but that’s not his best position and Josh Strauss is out of the picture after moving back to South Africa. Blade Thomson was looked on as the man who could make the Scotland jersey his own but didn’t show it during the World Cup. It may have been out of sight, out of mind for Du Preez up until now but Gregor Townsend should visit Sixways to watch him in action with the Six Nations looming.