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Sale statement: 'Huge coup' regarding in-demand du Preez twins
Sale have finally come clean on their big social media tease, revealing that South African twins Jean-Luc and Dan du Preez have both signed three-year contract extensions. The Sharks had got their fans guessing on Tuesday when they posted a gif of a smiling Alex Sanderson with the message, “When you hear the signing news we’ve got in the pipeline for this week!”
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Sanderson refused to give any hint as to what the big announcement was about when he held his media briefing later on Tuesday ahead of this Friday’s Gallagher Premiership match at home to London Irish.
“You’re going to have to guess,” he told reporters. “I normally give you everything but this is the one stipulation when I went upstairs, they were like ‘Don’t mention a word, Radio Sanderson’ which I am. This is the one time I am going to behave myself.”
He promised, though, it would be Wednesday when Sale would release the news and he assured: “It’s encouraging, it’s good news, it’s a big statement.”
So it has proved. In a climate where the finances in the English game are being stretched to the limit and a short-term outlook has taken a firm hold, Sale have bucked that trend by keeping the du Preez twins on board in Manchester until the summer of 2026.
A statement read: “Sale Sharks are delighted to announce that twins Jean-Luc and Dan du Preez have signed new contracts committing their long-term futures to the club. The powerful 27-year-olds, who signed for the club on permanent deals in 2019, have put pen to paper on new contracts taking them up to the end of the 2025/26 season.
“The twins arrived in Manchester from Durban-based Super Rugby side Cell C Sharks, where they had played alongside older brother – and now Sale teammate – Rob. Since then both players have become key parts of the Sharks side, with versatile Jean-Luc, who initially joined on loan, racking up 83 appearances for the club, and number eight Dan featuring 73 times.
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“Jean-Luc has won 13 international caps since making his Springbok debut as a replacement against Wales in Cardiff in 2016. Dan, who has six caps, made his debut for the Springboks the following year and in doing so made history.
“The twins’ dad Robert played seven Tests for South Africa and when Dan took the field against France, it was the first time in South African rugby that two sons of a Springbok had played Test rugby. In 2021 both Jean-Luc and Dan were named in the Springboks squad for the series against the British and Irish Lions.”
Sale boss Sanderson said: “Jean-Luc and Dan are two of the very best and most consistent performers in the Premiership and for them to both commit three of the best years of their careers to this club goes so far in shouting out what a special place this is.
“The lads had offers from Japan and from France but they want to be here and that demonstrates just how high our aspirations and ambitions are. Jean-Luc and Dan have had kids here, their families are happy here and they have really found a home. I know they’re from South Africa but they’re honorary Mancunians.”
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Jean-Luc added: “I’m delighted that I will be staying with Sale and I’m really excited to see what we can produce as a group. My brothers and I come over in 2019 wanting to win something, and we have struggled over the last few seasons by Sale’s standards. However, I feel there is a renewed energy in the club and I think this might just be the year where we surprise a lot of people.”
Dan said: “I’m so excited to be here for the next four years and can’t wait to see where we go as a team. I couldn’t be happier with my decision. My family and I have made this home.”
Sharks CEO Sid Sutton concluded: “This is a huge coup for the club. Jean-Luc and Dan were highly sought after and had plenty of offers from both the Gallagher Premiership and abroad. They see what we are building here and they want to stay and be a part of it.
“It’s a huge statement of intent for us. We want to create an environment where the very best players feel like they can grow and thrive and be successful. Jean-Luc and Dan are absolutely integral to what we want to achieve and we are all thrilled that they have decided to stay.”
Comments on RugbyPass
NZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
22 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
22 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
22 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
22 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
22 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
22 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to comments