Daniël Michael du Plessis, born on 17 March 1995, is a South African rugby player who currently plays for the Stormers in Super Rugby. He primarily plays as a center.
Du Plessis began his rugby career representing Western Province at the Under-18 Craven Week tournament in 2013. He had an impressive performance, scoring four tries in their victory against the Pumas and another try in the unofficial final against the Golden Lions, helping Western Province secure the tournament win. His performances earned him a spot in the South African Schools squad, where he played matches against England and France.
In 2014, Du Plessis played for the Western Province U19 side in the Under-19 Provincial Championship. He scored two tries in five matches and played a key role in Western Province's journey to the final, where they defeated the Blue Bulls U19s.
In 2015, Du Plessis was initially named in the Western Province squad for the Vodacom Cup but did not make any appearances. Instead, he joined the South Africa Under-20 squad. He played in a friendly match against a Varsity Cup Dream Team, scoring a try in a 31–24 victory. He was then selected for the squad to tour Argentina for a two-match series as preparation for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship. He started both matches against Argentina, contributing to their victories.
Du Plessis was included in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship and started in all three of South Africa's pool matches, helping them secure wins against Italy, Samoa, and Australia. Although they were eliminated in the semi-finals by England, Du Plessis scored a try in the final minutes of the match. He played in the third-place play-off match against France, contributing to South Africa's bronze medal win.
On a personal note, Du Plessis comes from a rugby family. His father is former Springbok player Michael du Plessis, and his uncles are former Springbok players Carel du Plessis and Willie du Plessis. He is also the cousin of Jean-Luc du Plessis, who is also a professional rugby player.
At the senior level, Du Plessis has played for Western Province and the Stormers. As of July 2022, he has made 35 appearances for Western Province, scoring 75 points, and 31 appearances for the Stormers, scoring 35 points.
KG (17/05/2023)
Career
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Stormers Outside Centre |
2016 - present |
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Western Province Inside Centre |
2016 - present |
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South Africa U20's Inside Centre |
2015 - 2015 |
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Paul Roos Gymnasium Inside Centre |
