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Full name | Willem Nicolaas Frederik du Plessis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 5 June 1990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Pretoria, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb; 205 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | University of Pretoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Willem Nicolaas Frederik du Plessis (born 5 June 1990) is a South African born Dutch international rugby union player, currently playing in France with the French Pro D2 side Mont-de-Marsan. [1] His regular position is fly-half. [2] [3]
Du Plessis played for the Blue Bulls at the 2008 Under-18 Academy Week competition before moving to Durban to join the Sharks. He played for the Sharks U19 team in the 2009 Under-19 Provincial Championship and for the Sharks U21 team in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring 96 points in twelve matches. [4] He was named in the Sharks' squad for the 2011 Vodacom Cup competition, but failed to make an appearance. He made two more appearances for the Sharks in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship, before returning to the Blue Bulls U21 team for the latter part of the competition, making a further four appearances.
Du Plessis was included in the Blue Bulls squad for the 2012 Vodacom Cup competition [5] and made his first class debut against the Falcons, coming on as a half-time substitute and scoring a try within five minutes of his debut, as well as two conversions. [6] He also appeared as a substitute in two of their remaining fixtures in the competition. He was once again included in their squad for the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition [7] and made his first start for the Blue Bulls, once again against the Falcons, [8] this time scoring seven conversions.
Du Plessis's next game in the competition came against the Limpopo Blue Bulls, with the Blue Bulls running out 110–0 victors. [9] Du Plessis weighed in with two tries and fifteen conversions (missing just one attempt), scoring 40 points in one match, a Vodacom Cup record. [10]
Du Plessis joined the Free State Cheetahs on a short-term deal for the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division. [11]
Du Plessis signed a two-year deal with the Golden Lions, joining them in November 2013. [11]
However, Du Plessis's time in Johannesburg was short-lived and he returned to Bloemfontein for the 2015 Super Rugby season, [12] signing a contract until the end of 2016.
In August 2015, Du Plessis joined French Top 14 side Toulon as a medical joker on a three-month loan deal. [13]
Du Plessis joined Bayonne in November 2015 as a medical joker, [14] before signing a full-time contract a month later, signing a three-year deal starting in the 2016–17 season. [15]
Du Plessis also played Varsity Cup rugby for UP Tuks, making twelve appearances in 2012 and 2013.