Sale Sharks have announced that Jean-Luc and Daniel du Preez have signed new deals which will keep them at the Premiership outfit until the end of the 2025/26 season.
The 27-year-old twins joined Sale in 2019 and the club’s director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, hailed the ‘honorary Mancunians’ as two of the Premiership’s very best.
Important players
Since their arrival from the Durban-based Sharks, the twins have become important players for Sale – alongside their older brother, utility back Robert. Utility forward Jean-Luc has made 83 appearances for the club and his brother Dan (number eight) has played in 73 matches.
Jean-Luc said: “I am delighted that I will be staying with Sale and I’m really excited to see what we can produce as a group.
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“My brothers and I came over in 2019 wanting to win something, and we have struggled over the last few seasons by Sale’s standards, however I feel there is a renewed energy in the club and I think this might just be the year where we surprise a lot of people.”
Dan said: “I’m so excited to be here for the next four years and I can’t wait to see where we go as a team. I couldn’t be happier with my decision. My family and I have made this home.”
Sanderson believes the new contracts for two of his key players demonstrates the level of the club’s ambition.
“Where do I start with the Du Preez twins and their physicality, their passion and their quality? My cup runeth over,” he said.
“They are two of the very best and most consistent performers in the Premiership and for them to both commit three of the best years of their careers to this club goes so far in shouting out what a special place this is.
“The lads had offers from Japan and from France but they want to be here and that demonstrates just how high our aspirations and ambitions are.
“Jean-Luc and Dan have had kids here, their families are happy here and they’ve really found a home. I know they’re from South Africa but they’re honorary Mancunians.”
Jean-Luc and Dan signed permanent deals with Sale Sharks in 2019 after initially joining on three-month loan contracts.
Jean-Luc has made 13 Test appearances since making his debut for the Springboks as a replacement against Wales in Cardiff in 2016. Dan, who has six caps, made his Springbok debut against France in Paris in 2017 and in doing so made history.
Historical moment
The twins’ dad Robert played seven Tests for South Africa and when Dan made his Test bow against Les Bleus, it was the first time in South African rugby history that two sons of a Springbok had played Test rugby.
In 2021, both Jean-Luc and Dan were part of the Springbok squad for the series against the British and Irish Lions in South Africa.