Cornell du Preez

Last updated

Cornell du Preez
Birth nameCornell Gerhard du Preez
Date of birth (1991-03-23) 23 March 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight115 kg (254 lb; 18 st 2 lb)
School Framesby High School
University North West University
Occupation(s)Professional rugby union player
Rugby union career
Position(s) No.8 / Flanker
Youth career
- Leopards, S.A. Academy
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2011 NWU Pukke
Edinburgh Academicals
Heriots
5 (0)
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2013–2018
2018–2021
2021–
Edinburgh
Worcester Warriors
Toulon
105
31
49
(75)
(10)
(15)
Correct as of 1 November 2021
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2012–2013 Eastern Province Elephants 23 55
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2013 Southern Kings 16 (15)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2011
2017–
South Africa U20
Scotland
5
9
(5)
(0)
Correct as of 1 November 2021

Cornell du Preez (born March 23, 1991) is a South African-born rugby union player. His regular playing positions are Flanker, No 8 and currently loose forward, he plays for Toulon in the Top 14 and represents Scotland internationally.

Contents

Rugby union career

Early life

Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, du Preez attended North-West University in Potchefstroom, where he played in the Varsity Cup for NWU Pukke. He represented the Leopards in the Under-19 and Under-21 Provincial Championship competitions and was named in the Leopards squad for 2011, without making an appearance.

Professional career

Du Preez joined the Eastern Province Kings on 1 November 2011, where he signed a two-year deal. He was also named in the Southern Kings squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season. He was released during the 2013 Currie Cup First Division season to join Alan Solomons at Edinburgh Rugby for the 2013–14 season. [1] Du Preez had a successful first season at Murrayfield, racking up 23 appearances and ultimately being named 'Newcomer of the Year'. [2] A serious leg injury sustained in October 2014 during a match against Newport Gwent Dragons saw Du Preez missing a substantial part of the 2014–2015 season. [3] Du Preez was first assigned to Edinburgh Academicals when not in use by Edinburgh Rugby, [4] [5] [6] and in 2015 was assigned to Heriots. [7]

On 13 February 2018 it was announced that Du Preez would leave Edinburgh for English side Worcester Warriors in the Aviva Premiership ahead of the 2018-19 season. [8]

On 16 June 2021, it was confirmed that du Preez has left Worcester to complete his move with French side Toulon in the Top 14 ahead of the 2021-22 season. [9]

International career

Du Preez was part of the South Africa Under-20s team that played at the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship. [10] However, on 13 November 2016 he was called into the Scotland squad for the Autumn International Series as an injury replacement, having qualified for Scotland through the three year residency requirement, although he didn't take part in any match. [11] He was called up again for the 2017 Six Nations Championship, [12] and made his debut against England at Twickenham before gaining his second test cap the following week in the final day victory over Italy. [13] [14] Du Preez made his first international start in November 2017, wearing the Number 8 shirt in a narrow 17-22 defeat to the All Blacks. [15]

Departure for France (since 2021-)

He joins Toulon on a three-year contract. [16] In his first season in France, he was used a great deal and established himself as a regular in the second half of the season. He played in the European Challenge finals in this role, but lost in the final with his team against the Bristol Bears. [17] In all, he played twenty-seven games and was a regular in Toulon's third row eighteen times that season.

The following season, he retained his starting place in Toulon's starting XV and once again qualified for the Challenge Cup final with his team, this time beating Glasgow Warriors 43-19. [18] During this season, he played twenty-three games, including only two as a substitute, and was one of the Top 14's leading tacklers of the season. [19] [20]

At the start of the 2023-2024 season, having reached the end of his contract at the end of the season, [21] he is used less often and is a more regular substitute than in previous seasons.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Blair</span> British Lions & Scotland international rugby union player

Michael Robert Leighton Blair is a Scottish rugby union coach who was formerly a professional player. He will be the assistant coach of the Kobe Steelers for the 2023-24 season. He was previously the head coach of Edinburgh, and also was an assistant coach with Glasgow Warriors and then an assistant coach of the Scottish national team.

Euan Murray is a retired Scottish rugby union footballer, whose last club was Pau in the French Top 14.

Francois Hougaard is a South African professional rugby union player. His primary position is scrum-half, but he can also play wing.

Roderick Robert Grant is a Scottish rugby union coach and former player. He played as a flanker for Border Reivers, Edinburgh and Scotland sevens between 2006 and 2015, and has coached at the Scottish Rugby Academy and Edinburgh. Since 2019, he has been forwards coach for Ulster.

David Kipling Denton is a retired Zimbabwean-born Scottish rugby union player. He played in the back row, but could also play in the second row, and represented Edinburgh in the Pro12, Bath, Worcester Warriors and Leicester Tigers in England, and Scotland internationally.

Louis Schreuder is a South African rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Bath in Premiership Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allan Dell</span> British Lions & Scotland international rugby union player

Allan Dell is a Scotland international rugby union player. He plays for Glasgow Warriors. He previously played for Edinburgh Rugby and London Irish. His usual position is prop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Pyrgos</span> Scotland international rugby union player

Henry Benjamin Pyrgos is a former Scotland international rugby union player and now coach. He is an Assistant Coach at Boroughmuir. He previously played for Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship; and is a centurion for Glasgow Warriors, winning the Pro12 title with the club in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraser Brown (rugby union)</span> Scotland international rugby union player

Fraser James Macgregor Brown is a Scotland international rugby union player. He currently plays for Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship. He plays as a hooker or in the back row.

Robert James du Preez is a South African professional rugby union player for English Premiership side Sale Sharks. His regular position is fly-half.

Rory Sutherland is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for French Top 14 club Oyonnax and the Scotland national team.

Branco Bewinn Nazeem du Preez is a former South African rugby union player, playing with the South Africa national rugby sevens team. He is a utility back, but usually plays as a scrum-half for the Blitzbokke. Du Preez retired as the most capped South African Rugby Sevens player.

Daniel du Preez is a South African rugby union player for the Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. His usual position is number eight, but he can also play as a lock or flanker.

Jean-Luc du Preez (born 5 August 1995 is a South African rugby union player for Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. He made his debut for South Africa in 2016 and his regular position is flanker, although he also plays at lock and number eight.

Murray McCallum is a Scottish rugby union player who currently plays for Newcastle Falcons in the Gallagher English Premiership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duhan van der Merwe</span> Scottish rugby player (born 1995)

Duhan van der Merwe is a rugby union player who currently plays for Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship. Born in South Africa, he represents Scotland at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Crosbie</span> Scotland international rugby union player

Luke William Crosbie is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Edinburgh and the Scotland national team.

The 2022–23 season will see Glasgow Warriors compete in the competitions: the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

References

  1. "Cornell du Preez released to play for Edinburgh Rugby". Rugby15. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  2. "ER Awards: Gilchrist scoops top gong - Edinburgh Rugby". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  3. "Edinburgh Rugby (Cornell Du Preez) - Edinburgh Rugby". Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  4. "Players aligned to top domestic clubs - Edinburgh Rugby". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  5. "Article". Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  6. "Scots clubs learn player draft from Pro12 duo". BBC Sport. 18 August 2014.
  7. "Pro players allocated clubs in draft for new season".
  8. "Worcester sign Cornell du Preez and Ashley Beck but David Denton is leaving club". Sky Sports. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  9. "Former Worcester Warriors' player Cornell du Preez signs for Toulon". Worcester News. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  10. "IRB Junior World Championship - South Africa". irb.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  11. "Scotland call up uncapped Cornell du Preez for Argentina Test". BBC. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  12. "Six Nations: Scott and Taylor return to Scotland squad". BBC. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  13. Bath, Richard (15 March 2017). "Cornell du Preez: Scotland thrashing was tough to take, but sometimes you get first cap in unusual circumstances". The Telegraph.
  14. "Scotland 29 - 0 Italy: Player ratings".
  15. "Scotland 17-22 New Zealand". BBC Sport.
  16. "Du Preez : "On ne doit pas "bien figurer" mais gagner des trophées"". rugbyrama.fr . 9 September 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  17. "Challenge européen : Toulon défait par Bristol en finale". L'Équipe . 17 October 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  18. "Rugby, Challenge Cup : Toulon de nouveau en finale après sa victoire sur Trévise". Le Monde.fr . 30 April 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  19. "RUGBY. Top 14. Quels ont été les plus gros sécateurs de la première partie de saison ?". www.lerugbynistere.fr. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  20. "Top 14 : le top 10 des meilleurs plaqueurs". www.lequotidiendusport.fr. 1 April 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  21. "Transferts RC Toulon : Les joueurs en fin de contrat à l'issue de la saison 2023-2024". dicodusport.fr. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.