'When he stood up in a meeting, the coaches would sit down... we didn't even need a coach'

Former South Africa utility back Francois Hougaard has described his former Springboks and Bulls team-mate Fourie du Preez as a “genius”, revealing that the legendary scrum-half was effectively a coach on the field during their time together at the Bulls.

The 38-year-old joined the Pretoria franchise after starring for South Africa at age-grade level, despite being warned that his route to the first team would be blocked by Du Preez and fellow scrum-half Heini Adams.

Speaking on the Storytime podcast, the 46-cap Springbok explained how Du Preez’s ability forced him to move onto the wing, where he developed a close understanding with the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year nominee, even helping create a strike move that became known within the South Africa set-up as the “Hogi line”.

But it was Du Preez’s rugby intelligence that left the biggest impression. Hougaard said the Springbok great’s understanding of the game was so advanced that coaches would effectively hand over meetings to him.

“After I had a good Under-19 and Under-20 World Cup, I started getting offers from professional clubs or unions, but the two I was interested in were Western Province and the Bulls,” Hougaard said.

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“People said, ‘You’d be stupid to go to the Bulls because Fourie’s there, you’re never going to play.’ Heini Adams was also there and was great at the time.

“They said, ‘You’re going to sit in a queue, you’re never going to play, you’re going to waste your talent.’ But I thought to myself, if I could be patient and learn from the best in the world, I could become a good player if I looked after myself.

“Everything was so professional in those days. The contract was there when we asked for it, everything was like clockwork. Everything was smooth, it was quick. I’m very thankful that I did sign, because that’s where the whole wing thing came from.

“I wasn’t going to play ahead of Fourie, so I went on to play wing and me and Fourie played really well together. I just felt like I understood the way he played.

“It was always that line around the nine. The nine attacks a pillar and he obviously plays it off his shoulder. That line came from myself and Fourie, we created that little thing, and at the Boks, at the time, they called it the ‘Hogi line’.

“He was the most genius player. His rugby knowledge… When he would stand up in a meeting, the coaches would sit down. We didn’t even need a coach, I believe, for the smaller things you do. He was such a genius when it came to his knowledge of the game.

“If you looked at Fourie, you would not think this guy could play rugby in the way he was built. He hated the gym and contact in training. He had a popped AC joint, but he was just unbelievable.

“His rugby knowledge, the way he read the game, his kicking, his passing, everything was about knowing when to do what.

“Every time there was a second ruck from the left-hand side, because I was on the blindside wing, we read it so well together. That’s where I started playing wing.

“I never cared about scoring tries, even though it was nice. I just loved creating stuff.”