Bok, Bulls legend celebrates milestone birthday
SPOTLIGHT: Bulls (Northern Transvaal) and Springbok legend Frik du Preez reached a milestone age of 90 years on November 28.
Born in Rustenburg, Du Preez played his entire provincial career at the Pretoria-based side, spanning 13 years, scoring a mammoth 109 points.
He wasn’t an ordinary lock who just scrummed and jumped in the line-out.
He was also known for kicking at goal and slotting drop goals, from which his catchphrase “drop, place and score” stemmed following his performance in the 1969 Currie Cup Final, where he slotted a drop goal, a kick at goal and a try to clinch the title against arch enemies Western Province by 28-13.
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He bagged three Currie Cup trophies during his career. He featured in a tight game in the Final where Northern Transvaal lost to the Griquas 9-11, thanks to a brilliant individual score by fellow legend Mannetjies Roux.
The industrious lock also represented the Boks on 38 occasions (joint most with Jan Ellis in the apartheid era), making his debut against England and playing his last Test against the Wallabies.
He scored his only Test try during the British and Irish Lions tour of 1968 and accumulated 11 points in an international career that spanned 10 years.
He is still one of the most respected players from his era and a popular figure at Loftus Versveld, where he often goes out to support his beloved team in light blue and gives advice and team talks to the current group of players.
*From all of us at Rugby365, baie geluk oom Frik!
