Jean-Luc Du Preez

Few back-rowers carry the pedigree of Jean-Luc Du Preez, the South African forward born on 5 August 1995 who has built an international reputation through his aggression and athleticism. One half of the well-known Du Preez twins, Jean-Luc earned honours with the Springboks and forged a substantial club career that took in spells with the Sharks in Durban and Sale Sharks in England before his move to French rugby with Union Bordeaux Bègles. A ferocious ball-carrier and a punishing defender, Du Preez has long been valued as an enforcer, the kind of forward who sets a physical tone and refuses to take a backward step. At Bordeaux he brings hard-won experience and leadership to a competitive pack, offering both the grunt work and the big moments that come with his combative style. His career stands as a testament to durability and physical commitment at the highest level. Having tested himself across the southern and northern hemispheres, Du Preez brings a breadth of experience that few in the Bordeaux pack can match, and that hard-earned know-how makes him as valuable in the dressing room as he is on the field.