Luckless Springboks powerhouse’s career in ‘serious doubt’ amid ‘very scary’ concussion issues
Springboks back-row Jean-Luc du Preez and head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Springboks forward Jean-Luc du Preez should consider retirement over his current concussion issues, according to Bordeaux-Begles president Laurent Marti.
The South Africa international joined the club at the start of the season from Sale Sharks, but has only appeared three times for the two-time Investec Champions Cup winners this term.
Du Preez missed the start of Bordeaux’s campaign due to a knee injury picked up on international duty, but made his debut in their Top 14 victory over Racing 92 on January 3.
The 30-year-old followed that up by playing in Champions Cup clashes against Northampton Saints and Bristol Bears, but he has not been seen since then due to a head injury.
In a concerning update from Marti, who was speaking to Sud Ouest, it doesn’t look like the Springboks back-rower is close to a return.
“I have serious doubts, but there are medical experts for that… If it were my son, I would ask him to stop because I’m very scared,” UBB’s president said.
“It would be a huge loss for us because he’s exactly the kind of player who would have done us a lot of good.”
Du Preez’s terrible luck with injury and illness
The talented loose forward made his Test debut in 2016 as a 21-year-old but he has spent the majority of his career on the periphery of the Boks squad.
He began his professional career at the Sharks before joining English side Sale Sharks on a permanent basis in 2019 – following a loan spell a year earlier.
Du Preez continually impressed at Sale and at the end of his stint in the Premiership was in line to get more international honours.
The back-rower was set to start at number eight against the Wallabies last year but had to pull out late on through illness, a week after missing the first Test against Australia due to the birth of his child.
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus then pencilled him into the team for the huge Eden Park clash against the All Blacks, but the aforementioned knee injury ruled him out of the rest of the 2025 Test season.
As a result, Du Preez’s last Test appearance came versus Argentina in August 2023, ahead of the Rugby World Cup which he missed out on.