Amy du Plessis
{{Short description|New Zealand international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| image =Amy du Plessis 2022 cropped.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =Du Plessis in 2022
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1999|07|07|df=y}}
| birth_place =KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| height =1.69 m
| weight =73 kg
| ru_currentposition =Centre
| provinceyears1 =2018–2020
| province1 =Otago
| provinceapps1 =15
| provincepoints1 =45
| ru_provinceyears2 =2021–2023
| ru_province2 =Canterbury
| ru_provinceapps2 =18
| ru_provincepoints2 =40
|superyears1=2022–Present
|super1=Matatū
|superapps1=13
|superpoints1=5
| repyears1 =2022–
| repteam1 ={{ruw|NZ}}
| repcaps1 =19
| reppoints1 =35
| medals =
{{MedalCountry|{{NZL}}}}
{{MedalSport|Women's rugby union}}
{{MedalCompetition|Rugby World Cup}}
{{MedalGold|2021 New Zealand|Team competition}}
}}
Amy du Plessis (born 7 July 1999) is a South African born, New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Canterbury provincially. She also plays for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad.
Early life
Du Plessis was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her family immigrated and settled in Invercargill when she was seven. She was a key part of Southland Girls' High School's rugby success. She helped win their first national Top 4 final in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Savory |first=Logan |date=2020-11-22 |title=Southland's Amy du Plessis emerges as Rugby World Cup prospect |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/123471455/southlands-amy-du-plessis-emerges-as-rugby-world-cup-prospect |access-date=2022-02-07 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
Rugby career
Du Plessis made her debut for Otago in 2018.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-16 |title=Du Plessis to Return for Matatū |url=https://www.matatu.co.nz/news/du-plessis |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Matatū |language=en-NZ}} She played for the Probables against the Possibles in the Black Ferns trial in 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-04|title=Possibles v Probables named for Black Ferns trial match|url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/possibles-v-probables-named-for-black-ferns-trial-match/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=allblacks.com|language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web|date=2020-11-04|title=Bay of Plenty women named in Possibles v Probables|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/possibles-v-probables-named-for-black-ferns-trial-match/GZAC33BDOTDHNHIXQVRT44JDYY/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}} She made her Black Ferns debut off the bench on 4 November 2020 against the New Zealand Barbarians in West Auckland. She started in the second match.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-13 |title=Du Plessis set for Black Ferns debut |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/du-plessis-set-black-ferns-debut |access-date=2022-02-07 |website=Otago Daily Times |language=en}}
In 2021, she appeared for the Black Ferns 15s at the Takiwhitu Tūturu Pure Sevens tournament in Hataitai Park, Wellington.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-10 |title=The Black Ferns 7s compete with their XVs sisters – Planet Sevens |url=https://planet7s.com/2021/04/10/the-black-ferns-7s-compete-with-their-xvs-sisters/ |access-date=2022-02-07 |language=en-US}} She was selected for the Matatū squad for the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki in 2022.{{Cite web|date=2021-11-11|title=Alumni News: Amy du Plessis in Matatū Rugby Squad for 2022!|url=https://www.southlandgirls.school.nz/news/alumni-news-amy-du-plessis-in-matatu-rugby-squad-for-2022/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Southland Girls' High School|language=en-NZ}}{{Cite news|last=Foote|first=Stephen|date=2021-11-04|title=Super Rugby Aupiki: Black Fern-laden squads announced for inaugural women's tournament|language=en|work=Newshub |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/11/super-rugby-aupiki-black-fern-laden-squads-announced-for-inaugural-women-s-tournament.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107065518/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/11/super-rugby-aupiki-black-fern-laden-squads-announced-for-inaugural-women-s-tournament.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 November 2021|access-date=2022-02-07}}{{Cite web|date=2021-11-04|title=Super Rugby Aupiki women's franchises confirm squads|url=https://www.nzsportswire.com/2021/11/04/super-rugby-aupiki-has-huge-talent-in-all-franchises/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=NZ Sports Wire|language=en-NZ}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web|date=2021-11-04|title=Matatū confirm their inaugural 2022 squad|url=https://crusaders.co.nz/latest/news/matatu-confirm-their-inaugural-2022-squad/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Crusaders Rugby|language=en-US}}
Du Plessis was named in the Black Ferns squad for the 2022 Pacific Four Series.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-04 |title=31-strong Black Ferns squad named for home June Test series |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/31-strong-black-ferns-squad-named-for-home-june-test-series/ |access-date=2022-06-10 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}} She made her international debut for the Black Ferns on 12 June 2022 against Canada in West Auckland.{{Cite web |last=Burnes |first=Campbell |date=12 June 2022 |title=Black Ferns shut out Canada in Waitākere |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-shut-out-canada-in-waitakere/ |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}} She was reselected in the squad for the August test series against Australia for the Laurie O'Reilly Cup.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-02 |title=Black Ferns named for O'Reilly Cup Test series |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-named-for-oreilly-cup-test-series/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Roger |date=2022-08-15 |title=2022 Laurie O'Reilly Cup Black Ferns Vs Wallaroos " When Does It Start, Live Streams And Schedule" |url=https://thedailyrugby.com/laurie-oreilly-cup-black-ferns-vs-wallaroos/ |access-date=2022-08-16 |website=thedailyrugby.com |language=en-US}}
Du Plessis was selected for the Black Ferns 2021 Rugby World Cup 32-player squad.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-13 |title=Black Ferns squad locked in for Rugby World Cup |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-squad-locked-in-for-rugby-world-cup/ |access-date=2022-09-15 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-13 |title=Black Ferns Rugby World Cup squad named |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/474684/black-ferns-rugby-world-cup-squad-named |access-date=2022-09-27 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} New Zealand won their sixth World title after narrowly beating England 34–31 in the final.{{Cite web |last=Julian |first=Adam |date=2022-11-12 |title=Black Ferns crowned Rugby World Cup champions |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-crowned-rugby-world-cup-champions/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}}
Du Plessis returned for her second season with Matatū for the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
On 8 July, she scored a brace of tries in the Black Ferns 21–52 victory over Canada at the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-09 |title=Black Ferns fly past Canada in front of record crowd in Ottawa |url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2023/07/08/black-ferns-fly-past-canada-in-front-of-record-crowd-in-ottawa/ |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=Americas Rugby News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Burnes |first=Campbell |date=2023-07-09 |title=Black Ferns secure WXV1 qualification with Ottawa victory |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/winning/ |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}} She was chosen as the Mastercard Woman of the Match for her performance.{{Cite web |last=Julian |first=Adam |date=2023-07-12 |title=Amy du Plessis: 'That was my hardest game. It was an awesome test, credit to Canada.' |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/amy-du-plessis/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=www.rugbypass.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile_bf.asp?BFID=5222 Black Ferns Profile]
{{New Zealand Squad 2021 Rugby World Cup}}
{{Matatū squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:du Plessis, Amy}}
Category:New Zealand female rugby union players
Category:New Zealand women's international rugby union players
Category:South African emigrants