Sale Sharks boss addresses du Preez brothers’ futures as French clubs target overlooked Springboks
Dan du Preez has been attracting interest from abroad, and it seems the rest could be on their way out
Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson has said he is ‘shelving’ talk around the future of former Springboks Dan, Jean-Luc and Rob du Preez until the start of the Premiership Cup block.
Number eight, Dan, is heavily linked with a switch to Montpellier for the 2025/2026 season, however, it appears brothers Jean-Luc and Rob are also attracting interest from elsewhere.
“They’re under contract for next year”
The brothers, who have all played for the Springboks, have become integral parts of the Sale Sharks side in Sanderson’s tenure, and the Sale boss detailed how he is parking talk of their future until at least next week to focus fully on their upcoming clash with Bath.
“It’s different with the du Preez as they’re under contract for next year,” Sanderson told members of the media. “So we have to give permission.”
He added: “There’s loads of lads, at every club, that are out of contract; but we’ve shelved that until the Prem Cup games next week to focus on this last Premiership game (before the international break).”
Sanderson also admitted there have been some approaches for the brothers, but added it’s ‘nothing new’ to receive them.
“There have been approaches, but they’re not allowed to put anything on the table unless we let them,” he said.
“There’s approaches all the time, you heard about Jonny Hill last year, some under-the-table offers for George; so this is nothing new.”
The former Sale skipper also said he understands why players could potentially have their head turned by an offer to move across the channel, with ‘life-changing’ money on the table.
“It’s not the first time I’ve had to have this conversation, and it doesn’t get any easier. We are pouring our heart and soul into this place, and when people don’t want to be part of that journey with you it can be sole-destroying at times,” added Sanderson.
“If you’ve got a proper relationship with these, where you know the wives and the kids, and understand the nature of the finite career they’re in; and then compare that to the amount of money they’re being offered and what it’ll do for their families for the rest of their lives, you can emphasise with their decision.
Sanderson added: “We’re not going to let anyone walk without letting them know how much we want them, how much they mean to us, but you can’t ignore the life-changing sums of money that these guys are getting offered.”
Du Preez brothers at Sale
Elder brother Rob joined the club at the back end of the 2018/19 season on an initial three-month loan deal but made the move permanent the following season. He has since gone on to play 141 times for Sale.
Twins Dan and Jean-Luc also made permanent moves to the Sharks for the 2019/20 season, and have quickly become key parts of the Sale back-row. Jean-Luc has made 122 appearances for the club since the move, with brother Dan not far behind on 98 appearances. They also recently extended their contracts until the end of the 2025/26 season.
