San Francisco Frontiers - Bordeaux's Du Preez wary of Northampton's Champions Cup revenge mission

The French club powered to a 28-20 victory in May's decider in Cardiff to secure their first major title.

That prevented Saints from winning a second Champions Cup title as Bordeaux-Begles's star-studded backline and grizzly forward pack produced an impressive display.

"We know how dangerous Northampton are," Du Preez told AFP on Wednesday. "It's probably our biggest game of the season.

"I know they'll be thinking of the final last year and they'll want to get one back on us."

Du Preez, 30, joined Bordeaux-Begles this season after eight years at Sale alongside twin brother Dan and older sibling Rob.

"They were great to me and my family and to my brothers," Du Preez said of Sale, who play South Africa's Sharks on Saturday.

"They'd always treated us very well. I just felt it was time to move on, try a new adventure, try a new culture, a new country.

"When I was younger, I'd always wanted to play in France."

The Durban-born forward made the last of his 15 Springboks appearances in June but has been unable to add to his international tally in recent months due to a knee injury.

"I'd like to be back there," he said.

"But for now, coming back from injury at a new club, I just want to put my foot forward and do the best for Bordeaux-Begles to be honest," he added.

- 'Freak' Jalibert -

In the southwest of France, Du Preez lines up with a host of talented players, including France half-backs Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert.

Club captain Lucu has been ruled out for at least a month with a knee issue while fly-half Jalibert has been in superb form recently, scoring five times in his last four games.

"You don't know what the guy's going to do," Du Preez said of Jalibert.

"He's an absolute freak. I've never seen anything like it, he can just do anything off the cuff.

"And also it's a big plus because he can put you in holes. He can make you look good."

Saints scrum-half Alex Mitchell believes that the English Prem leaders have improved since that final, with livewire backrower Henry Pollock and prolific centre Tommy Freeman both on fire.

"Obviously, I think the better team won on the day," Mitchell told AFP on Wednesday, reflecting on last season's final.

"They outperformed us, but I don't think we performed to our best.

"That's last year, it's a different group, so, it's a new challenge for us."

The other highlights in the penultimate round of group fixtures are the repeat of the 2022 and 2023 finals as Leinster host Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle and six-time champions Toulouse head to three-time winners Saracens.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Pool 2: Castres (ENG) v Bath (ENG), Edinburgh (SCO) v Gloucester (ENG) (both 2000)

Saturday

Pool 1: Clermont (FRA) v Glasgow (SCO) (1515), Sale (ENG) v Sharks (RSA) (1730)

Pool 3: Leinster (IRL) v La Rochelle (FRA) (1730), Leicester (ENG) v Bayonne (FRA) (2000)

Pool 4: Bulls (RSA) v Bristol (ENG) (1300), Scarlets (WAL) v Pau (2000)

Sunday

Pool 1: Saracens (ENG) v Toulouse (FRA) (1730)

Pool 2: Toulon (FRA) v Munster (IRL) (1300)

Pool 3: Harlequins (ENG) v Stormers (RSA) (1300)

Pool 4: Bordeaux-Begles (ENG) v Northampton (ENG) (1515)

M.Hill--SFF