Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson is surprised that South Africa ignored Premiership points-machine Rob du Preez this autumn.
With Handre Pollard absent for the European tour through injury, the Springboks have lacked a reliable playmaker and goal-kicker, with six different players taking shots at goal for them in 2022.
Du Preez, 29, has been out of the frame since winning his one and only cap in 2018, but is enjoying a fine season for Sale and is currently top points scorer in the Premiership.
“I think Rob is international class at present, he is one of the best performing outside halves in the Premiership and it’s one of the best competitions in the world,” Sanderson said. “What’s their loss is our gain over the Autumn International period.
“I definitely will pick up the phone to South Africa over the next couple of weeks in the aftermath of the tour to get some feedback on the (du Preez) twins and I will ask them then about Rob.”
Du Preez has benefitted from a long, settled run in the No. 10 jersey having been deployed as a 13 for much of last term.
In addition to his 81 per cent goal-kicking success rate, going into Round 11, the Durban-born player has led the line well and been more of a threat in his own right, making as many offloads (five) this season as he did in the whole of the last campaign.
“I think in the past I probably didn’t get as many touches as I should have,” he acknowledged. “So that’s what we are trying to do, personally trying to be a bit more attacking at the line. The mindset we have had as a team allows that.
“I can’t do my job if everyone else isn’t doing theirs. If everyone else is in the right place it makes my job a lot easier and I have got a lot more options around me.
“What we have tried to do this season is get the balance right between how much we kick, how much we run with the ball and how much we pass. I think that has been a real stepping stone for us in terms of our evolution.”
With George Ford due to make his long-awaited Sale debut at some point in January, Du Preez knows he could be on borrowed time at fly-half.
But he insists that playing for his jersey is not the main factor behind his form, more a reflection of Sale’s balanced approach.
“It’s not something I really think about. I just put my best foot forward every week and we will see what happens when we get to it,” he said.
“If that means I keep playing 10 I will play there, if that means shifting to 13 or wherever the team needs me I will go there.
“All I can do now is focus on my performances week in, week out and try and do that to the best of my ability.”
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