Fourie du Preez

Fourie du Preez

du Preez playing in 2007
Full name	Petrus Fourie du Preez
Date of birth	(1982-03-24) 24 March 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth	Pretoria, South Africa
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight	91 kg (201 lb; 14 st 5 lb)
School	Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool
University	University of Pretoria
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half Youth career 2002–2003 Blue Bulls Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2002–2010 Blue Bulls 52 (95) 2003–2011 Bulls 112 (110) 2011–2016 Suntory Sungoliath 45 (45) Correct as of 27 January 2016 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2001 South Africa Under-19 2002–2003 South Africa Under-21 9 (5) 2004–2015 South Africa 76 (80) 2014 Springbok XV 1 (0) Correct as of 27 January 2016
Medal record Men's Rugby union Representing  South Africa Rugby World Cup 2007 France Squad 2015 England Squad

Petrus Fourie du Preez (Afrikaans pronunciation: [fuˈri du ˈpri.ə]; born 24 March 1982) is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played as a scrum half for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup competition and the Bulls in Super Rugby between 2002 and 2011, and for Japanese Top League side Suntory Sungoliath between 2011 and 2016. He represented South Africa between 2004 and 2015, winning 76 caps, playing in three Rugby World Cup tournaments, and winning the 2007 competition.

Du Preez made his provincial debut during 2001 for the Blue Bulls in a match against the Leopards in the Currie Cup competition. It was in 2003 that he made his Super 12 (now, Super Rugby) debut for the Bulls side, against the ACT Brumbies. The following year he made his test match debut for the Springboks in a match against Ireland.

In 2006, Du Preez was voted SA Rugby Player of the year by the South African Rugby Football Union. He was nominated for IRB player of the year as well.

Du Preez has won the IRB u/21 World Cup in 2002, the Currie Cup final three times ('03, '04 & '09 having been withdrawn from Currie Cup action in '06 by the then Springbok coach Jake White when the Bulls shared the cup), won the Super 14 title in 2007, 2009 and 2010, the Tri-Nations in 2004 and 2009 and the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

In 2009, Du Preez was voted SA Rugby Player of the year by the South African Rugby Football Union for a second time.^[1]