THE next "project player" likely to grace Scotland colours may have been pinched from under the noses of the Springboks. So claims Alan Solomons, the Edinburgh head coach who helped nurture Cornell du Preez in South Africa and then played a crucial role in bringing him north in 2013.

Du Preez has always made it clear he is likely to throw his lot in with his adopted country, but now he has signed a two-year extension to his contract, committing him to Edinburgh up to the day he qualifies for Scotland on residency in October and for at least 20 months beyond that.

"I was surprised that he elected to leave South Africa as I felt he could have become a Springbok, but he felt he wanted to come across to Scotland," said Solomons.

"He's a terrific player. I think he's a Test match player. I've always felt that from my time when I coached him at the [Southern] Kings [in Port Elizabeth]. His feel for the game, skill level and footballing ability are all international class. He is 110kg, so not a small boy, and we've seen the way he came back from his ankle injury that he's tough as nails. He's got all the attributes.

"I was surprised when he said he wanted to come. I felt it would be beneficial to Scotland and there would be an opportunity for him as a project player and so it's proving. The performances he's given for Edinburgh in the time he has been here – and remember he missed a large tract of last season after that horrendous injury – show he is going to add huge value. He's a terrific player. A Test player."

Solomons brought du Preez into professional rugby when he signed him for the Kings straight after representing South Africa in the 2011 Junior World Championships. When the coach moved to Scotland, he was among the first signings he made, and he has picked du Preez for almost every game when fit – despite that six-month lay-off recovering from a badly broken ankle, du Preez has already passed the 50-match landmark.

"I think the decision to stay on for two years is mainly due to the fact he is really happy in the environment, he's made close friends here. He loves Edinburgh, which is a great city and being in Scotland. He's enjoying himself and that's the most important thing, because if you're not happy in your environment, you'll never realise your potential."

For du Preez, the fact that the invitation to play in Scotland came from Solomons, who he knew so well, was part of the reason he was so quick to accept, and now he is here, he has no regrets. He is less certain than his coach that the Springboks were going to come calling anyway.

"You never know if I could have got one [a South Africa cap] or not, I just put it behind me and will see how it goes," he said. "I am not really bothered about what might have happened. I am happy here. If I got the opportunity [to play for Scotland] it would be a big privilege. It is something in the back of my mind but I will keep it there until it arrives."

Given that he has missed only one game this season, it is no real surprise that du Preez finds himself in the team playing in Cardiff this afternoon – especially when you see the list of unavailable players, which means there was never any possibility of leaving him out.

With only one fit lock in the squad, they are having to press Mike Coman, the captain who is usually a flanker, into service in the second row and Scotland demands mean they are having to do without six front-line players, including the entire front row and the likes of Matt Scott behind.

On top of that there is the task of recovering from the morale-sapping defeat in Grenoble, when they went from heading to a home quarter final in the European Challenge Cup to being out of the tournament altogether in the space of 10 minutes.

"I don't think it's a question of bouncing back," said Solomons. "It's a completely different competition. We didn't perform well on the weekend. With the injury toll we've got and the Six Nations this is a massive challenge we've got but also a massive opportunity for this team. Any side missing who we're missing is facing a challenge. We're not Toulon."

Cardiff Blues: D Fish; B Scully, R Lee-Lo, G Evans, A Summerhill; R Patchell, T Knoyle; T Davies, M Rees (C), S Ma'afu, J Hoeata, J Down, E Jenkins, J Navidi, M Vosawai. Replacements: E Lewis, B Thyer, D Lewis, M Cook, J Groves, T Williams, J Evans, E-W Benham

Edinburgh: G Tonks; D Fife, M Allen, A Strauss, T Brown; P Burleigh, N Fowles; R Sutherland, N Cochrane, J Andress, A Toolis, M Coman (C), J Ritchie, H Watson, C du Preez. Replacements: S McInally, A Dell, S Berghan, M Bradbury, G Turner, S Kennedy, W Helu, B Kinghorn.

Referee: D Wilkinson (Ireland)