Career
Du Plessis played for Western Province and the Springboks, his skills earning him the nickname the Prince of Wings. Capped 12 times, he scored 4 tries for the Springboks, but his international career was curtailed by the sports boycott against apartheid South Africa. Du Plessis was controversially appointed coach of the Springboks in spite of his lack of coaching experience.
He led the team to defeat in both the British and Irish Lions" 1997 tour and the 1997 Tri-Nations, before being sacked and replaced by Nick Mallett.