Du Preez named South Africa Rugby Player of the Year

By AFP, 3 Nov 2009 AFP is a Roar Pro

Tagged:: Fourie du Preez, International Rugby, Rugby Union, South Africa Rugby Player of the Year, Springboks

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Springbok scrum-half Fourie du Preez capped a wonderful three days in his career on Monday when named South Africa Rugby Player of the Year.

Du Preez was the architect of the three Blue Bulls tries last Saturday when they defeated Free State Cheetahs 36-24 in Pretoria to capture the Currie Cup inter-provincial championship.

Widely regarded as the best No 9 in the world, Du Preez displayed his wide range of skills against the Cheetahs by creating tries via a tap penalty, a pass and one of his specialities, the perfectly placed kick ahead.

A member of the 2007 World Cup-winning team, he was also a key figure this year when the Springboks defeated the British and Irish Lions 2-1 and won the Tri-Nations with five wins in six outings against Australia and New Zealand.

Considered a great ambassador for South Africa rugby union, Du Preez also exerts a strong influence off the field and many believe he could succeed long-serving forward John Smit as Springbok skipper.

Fellow Springboks Smit, a hooker turned tighthead prop, veteran lock Victor Matfield, fly-half Morne Steyn and flanker Heinrich Brussow were the other finalists chosen by the media.

Deadly goal kicker Steyn and ruck-and-maul demon Brussow were the finds of the season with the latter achieving the seemingly impossible and keeping Schalk Burger out of the Bok starting line-up.

Steyn was a regular visitor to the stage at a black-tie banquet north of Johannesburg to receive the Players’ Player of Year, Super 14 Player of Year and Best Test player in the Lions series awards.

Brussow was voted Young Player of Year and best provincial player during the Lions tour, which brought sweet revenge for South Africa after a shock 2-1 loss nine years ago.

A fantastic year for the Springboks was strongly reflected in the awards with the green and gold being voted Team of the Year and Peter de Villiers Coach of the Year.

South African Rugby Union awards
Player of Year
Fourie du Preez (Northern Bulls and South Africa)

Players’ Player of Year
Morne Steyn (Northern Bulls and South Africa)

Young Player of Year
Heinrich Brussow (Central Cheetahs and South Africa)

Team of Year
South Africa

Coach of Year
Peter de Villiers (South Africa)

Super 14 Player of Year
Morne Steyn (Northern Blues)

Currie Cup Player of Year
Luke Watson (Western Province)

Try of Year
Jaque Fourie (South Africa)

Currie Cup First Division Player of Year
Allistair Kettledas (Mpumalanga Pumas)

Sevens Player of Year
Frankie Horne (South Africa)

Vodacom Cup Player of Year
Jonathan Mokoena (Griqualand West)

Under-20 Player of Year
Lionel Cronje (South Africa)

British and Irish Lions tour awards
Best provincial player
Heinrich Brussow (Free State Cheetahs)

Best Test player
Morne Steyn (South Africa)

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The Crowd Says (51) | Page 1 of Comments

Dean Pantio said | November 3rd 2009 @ 8:00am | Report comment

Well deserved. Dare I say it, if he’s not the best player on Earth this year, whoever is playing in the NH must be unbelievably good!

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Lee said | November 3rd 2009 @ 8:26am | Report comment

Should be a shoe-in for International Player of the year later on – possibly BOD to contend with but I know I’d rather have the Tri Nations, Super 14, Currie Cup and Lions Series under my belt than the 6 Nations and HC.

Then again will the “Justice for” fiasco come and bite the Boks at the end of year awards….

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- Rusty said | November 3rd 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
  
  Good point. I think it would be shame if that was the case as du Preez has consistently delivered for his team at domestic and international levels. A truly world class player
  
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  - Lee said | November 3rd 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
    
    I am not so sure it will effect the players but possibly effect PDV – it would be strange to see him get the coach of the year award given his outburts about gouging,refs etc but shouldn’t he be graded on results? And what other coach has had similar results this year?
    
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    - Rusty said | November 3rd 2009 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
      
      none – although we would probably want to wait until the Autumn Internationals are over before comitting to that. The other candidate to my mind would be Declan Kidney that took Ireland to their first 6 Nations title in almost forever. Although PdV has done very well, its not like he started with a bunch of also rans.
      
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      - Lee said | November 3rd 2009 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
        
        Yeah am not saying that PDV is a shoe-in just that it migt have an effect.
        
        I think it will come down to the Ireland – Boks game – if the Boks win you should almost say that they will take team of the year, coach and player. If Ireland wins, Du Preez should stll get player of the year but coach and team is open.
        
        Although this is probably just bias on my part but I really think the Boks achievements this year rate above Irelands.
        
        Reply
- Knives Out said | November 3rd 2009 @ 9:33pm | Report comment
  
  He hardly outplayed Mike Phillips on the Lions tour, and that has to of greater significance than what trophies he has won.
  
  Reply
  - Rusty said | November 4th 2009 @ 8:31am | Report comment
    
    Maybe if Philips was in for a shout on the award but he isnt. To compare the two to me seems farcical as Du Preez is light years of any other 9 on the planet Philips included. The fact that Philips could even be counted as one of the top 9s in the says more to me about the general lack of quality 9s than his own ability.
    
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Rin said | November 3rd 2009 @ 1:37pm | Report comment

If he doesnt get the IRB player of the year award there is definately something wrong.

He is by far and away the following:

(1) the best scrum half in the world, the only other one even remotely close to him is Mike Phillips from Wales but even then, i dont think anyone would not pick him in a World XV.

(2) one of the the most successful in 08/09 together with the other Blue Bulls/Springbok players.

(3) as far as i can tell and from what commentators say a nice guy and very modest.

He gets my vote

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- Laurens K said | November 4th 2009 @ 2:15am | Report comment
  
  I met him in pretoria in 04 I think just after he started playing for the boks, and he was very humble, and friendly. Actually joined us for a drink
  
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Brendan said | November 3rd 2009 @ 11:48pm | Report comment

KO
What Lions series were you watching??? Du Preez outplayed Phillips, was consistently the bok’s best player in all three test’s while his decision making and general play set up a few of the bok’s tries. On the other hand Phillips wasn’t nearly as influential and it’s debatable as to whether he was the Lion’s best player. He demonstrated his class in the super 14 generally and the final in particular, a competition that you northern hack’s can’t find space in your papers to cover. He also showed his class in the Tri-nations.

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- Knives Out said | November 4th 2009 @ 12:29am | Report comment
  
  The series where he had about half the influence he showed in the 3N. Phillips set up tries, broke and showed a lot more than Du Preez did. It’s all well and good showing sparkle when your team is thrashing the opposition, but when the SA pack was getting pushed about Du Preez went AWOL. That Phillips wasn’t the Lions best player is somewhat irrelevant as he displayed better form than his opposite man. Victor Matfield is twice as valuable to SA rugby as Du Preez is.
  
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  - Viscount Crouchback said | November 4th 2009 @ 2:54am | Report comment
    
    This is churlish nonsense. Du Preez didn’t set the world alight on the Lions tour but his level of performance through S14 to the 3N was consistently excellent. You sometimes carp too much at the southern hemisphere chappies, KO – give credit where it’s due.
    
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    - Knives Out said | November 4th 2009 @ 3:12am | Report comment
      
      I have no qualms admitting that Du Preez is a wonderful player, but during the S14 and 3N he had an armchair ride. I think that Phillips is a poor scrum half with a woefully slow pass and technical issues, but I believe that he outshone Du Preez who looked mediocre behind a retreating pack. I will repeat that I think Matfield is far, far more valuable to SA rugby than Du Preez is. Bismarck du Plessis had a very good season as well.
      
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      - Lee said | November 4th 2009 @ 5:32am | Report comment
        
        I’m sorry retreaing pack? You mean for the third test as in the first 2 you could hardly say that the Boks forwards were a “retreating pack” for the majority of those games(maybe, just maybe the last 20mins of the 1st test and 1st 20 of the second)? And never mind the fact that in the 3rd test, not one Bok player stood out.
        
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        Colin N said | November 4th 2009 @ 5:39am | Report comment
        
        “I’m sorry retreaing pack?”
        
        But he still failed to shine, that’s the point really.
        
        Lee said | November 4th 2009 @ 6:46am | Report comment
        
        What would be expected of him to shine in the series? He was Mr. Reliable, barely put a foot wrong as well as setting up a couple of tries through sharp passing and well placed kicks.
        
        What did Mike Philips do that was so much more than what Du Preez did?
        
        The point I am making is that although as you say Du Preez wasn’t as prominent in the Lions series(which I debate), he still played very well.
        
        Colin N and KO, who for your money should be World Player of the year if not Du Preez? I
Colin N said | November 3rd 2009 @ 11:53pm | Report comment

“He demonstrated his class in the super 14 generally and the final in particular, a competition that you northern hack’s can’t find space in your papers to cover”

And the Southern Hemisphere press cover the Guinness Premiership, Magner League etc?

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- Lee said | November 4th 2009 @ 6:53am | Report comment
  
  There is a program on Sky Sports in New Zealand that runs once a week called “Northern Exposure”, that shows the highlights of the games from the Magners League, Guinness Premiership, Heineken Cup, Top 14 etc. In a “Reunion”(if you’ve seen the show) format.
  
  As well as that some South African sports websites like keo.co.za carry updates on the games.
  
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katzilla said | November 4th 2009 @ 12:27am | Report comment

OMG! South Africa were the best team in South Africa?!?!?! Inconceivable!

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- Cattledog said | November 4th 2009 @ 3:04am | Report comment
  
  Not really. I think they would have only just pushed out the Blue Bulls, Bulls or even Cheetahs. Do you think the All Blacks were the best team in NZ? All would agree the Wallabies would have easily been outpointed by the Mt Druitt under 9s this year!
  
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Brendan said | November 4th 2009 @ 2:25am | Report comment

Colin
Yes the press here in SA provide coverage of the Guiness Premiership on a weekly basis with slightly less coverage of the Magners lague given it isn’t exactly the “A league” of NH rugby. No UK paper even bothers to print the results of S14 matches in fact the only time S14 is mentioned in a UK paper is when they are talking about a S14 player who decides to finish off his career there so as to top up his pension.

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- Viscount Crouchback said | November 4th 2009 @ 2:52am | Report comment
  
  Correct. The coverage on sites like Keo and Sport24 is very internationalist (albeit the editorial line on Keo is often completely bonkers).
  
  The British press’s rugby coverage is poor. It seems to cater for the lowest common denominator, hence the lack of coverage of S14. But its worth noting that British Sky TV covers lots and lots of S14 matches.
  
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- pothale said | November 4th 2009 @ 3:30am | Report comment
  
  Funny that – even though the Magners League provides the team/players that have been most consistent in winning the 6 Nations and the Heineken Cup over the last few years.
  
  I don’t believe SA is great at coverage of NH comps/leagues. It improves when SA is involved, but the rest of the time, it is quite limited, same as NH media.
  
  The results of S14 are printed in Irish papers – I regularly look at them. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them in English papers too. Don’t know about Scotland or Wales. French papers also cover S14 from what I’ve seen.
  
  The Currie Cup final wasn’t – which is a shame because it was one of the best games of the year.
  
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  - Knives Out said | November 4th 2009 @ 3:35am | Report comment
    
    Rugby is an obsession in SA. Rugby is a mildly popular past-time in England ergo the coverage of SH rugby is terrible in England. I flicked through a copy of the Irish Independent the other day (it was lying around). The rugby union coverage was quite thorough.
    
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- Colin N said | November 4th 2009 @ 5:35am | Report comment
  
  “Yes the press here in SA provide coverage of the Guiness Premiership on a weekly basis with slightly less coverage of the Magners lague given it isn’t exactly the “A league” of NH rugby.”
  
  In South African papers? Examples? What about Australia and New Zealand? I think I sometimes see a results round-up on the New Zealand Herald website, but that’s about it.
  
  My point really being, is that there seems to be a distinct lack of knowledge of Northern Hemisphere rugby by the Southern Hemisphere in general.
  
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  - Rusty said | November 4th 2009 @ 8:19am | Report comment
    
    In general within print media yes it is pretty rare to find NH league information. The exception will be where a prominent former SH player is involved e.g. Carter or around general international news. However, lets be honest how many of us fanatics stick to print media? I get my fill across a variety of sites including this one and although my interest in the GP, Magners league and Heineken cup has diminished to the point I no longer read all the match reports etc I still follow up on the general news and columnist opinion to keep a rounded view on the sport
    
    Reply
Brendan said | November 4th 2009 @ 2:28am | Report comment

Carry on dreaming KO,
My only regret is that the bok’s aren’t playing England in their upcoming tour so as they could humiliate them like they did last year

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- Knives Out said | November 4th 2009 @ 3:13am | Report comment
  
  That’s a nice regret to have. Yet another wonderful advertisement for the school systems in SA. You must have really loved the 00-05 years. Brendan.
  
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pothale said | November 4th 2009 @ 3:06am | Report comment

Have to say du Preez was outstanding in last week’s Currie Cup final – one of the best matches I watched all year, where I didn’t have a biased involvement as a watching fan.

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Knives Out said | November 4th 2009 @ 5:46am | Report comment

‘I’m sorry retreaing pack? You mean for the third test as in the first 2 you could hardly say that the Boks forwards were a “retreating pack” for the majority of those games(maybe, just maybe the last 20mins of the 1st test and 1st 20 of the second)? And never mind the fact that in the 3rd test, not one Bok player stood out.’

No, I mean for the entire 2nd half of the 1st test, 60 minutes (until the Lions lost two props, of course) of the 2nd test and the entire 3rd test.

‘And never mind the fact that in the 3rd test, not one Bok player stood out.’

And that supports your argument how?

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- Lee said | November 4th 2009 @ 7:59am | Report comment
  
  “And that supports your argument how?”
  
  You said that Du Preez didn’t stand out, I’m saying in the 3rd test no one from the Boks stood out.
  
  “No, I mean for the entire 2nd half of the 1st test, 60 minutes (until the Lions lost two props, of course) of the 2nd test and the entire 3rd test. ”
  
  Given the consensus was that the Lions backs were better than the Boks in terms of attack in the tests, I find it interesting that despie this domination in both forwards and backs that the Lions lost?
  
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  - Knives Out said | November 4th 2009 @ 11:28pm | Report comment
    
    I don’t understand what you’re attempting to say.
    
    Reply
    - pothale said | November 4th 2009 @ 11:31pm | Report comment
      
      It means he agrees with you and he’s just trying to find a nice way of saying it. Stop being so pernickety.
      
      Reply