Carel du Plessis

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Carel du Plessis

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Carel Johan du Plessis

| nickname =

| birth_place = Somerset East, Eastern Cape, South Africa

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|06|24|df=y}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| ru_currentteam =

| ru_currentposition =

| height = 1.84m

| weight = 85kg

| ru_position = Wing, Centre

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| years1 =

| clubs1 =

| apps1 =

| points1 =

| province1 = Western Province

| province2 = Transvaal

| provinceyears1 = 1980–1986, 1988–1989

| provinceyears2 = 1987

| provinceapps1 =

| provincepoints1 =

| repteam1 = South Africa

| repyears1 = 1982–1989

| repcaps1 = 12

| reppoints1 = 16

| coachteams1 = South Africa

| coachyears1 = 1997

| ru_coachupdate =

| spouse =

| children = Jean-Luc du Plessis

| relatives =

| school = Paarl Boys High

| university = Stellenbosch University

}}

Carel Johan du Plessis (born 24 June 1960){{Cite web |last=Simpasa |first=Precious |date=2023-09-26 |title=The Prince of Wings, Carel du Plessis, where is he now? |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/breaking-the-prince-of-wings-carel-du-plessis-where-is-he-now-26-september-2023/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=The South African |language=en-ZA}}[http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/9428.html Carel du Plessis], Scrum.com.{{dead link|date=April 2025}} is a former South African rugby union coach and player.

Playing career

Du Plessis played for Western Province and the Springboks, his skills earning him the nickname the Prince of Wings.[https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/springbok-legend-du-plessis-undergoes-brain-operation-20190206 "Springbok legend Du Plessis undergoes brain operation"], sport24.co.za, 6 February 2019. He is ranked among the best Springbok wings of all-time,{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Craig |date=2025-03-30 |title=Ranked: Three greatest Springbok left wings of all time |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/rugby/springboks/ranked-three-greatest-springbok-left-wings-all-time-bryan-habana/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=The South African |language=en-ZA}} although he was only capped 12 times, scoring 4 tries, with his international career curtailed by the sports boycott against apartheid South Africa.Danny Coyle, [https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2144655-selecting-the-greatest-all-time-south-africa-xv#slide2 "Selecting the Greatest All-Time South Africa XV: 14: Carol du Plessis"], Bleacher Report, 29 July 2014.

= Test history =

No.	Opposition	Result (SA 1st)	Position	Tries	Date	Venue
class="wikitable sortable"
1.	South American Jaguars	50–18	Wing	1	27 March 1982	Loftus Versveld, Pretoria
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 2.	South American Jaguars	12–21	Wing		3 April 1982	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
3.	England	33–15	Wing	1	2 June 1984	Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 4.	England	35–9	Wing		9 June 1984	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
5.	South American Jaguars	32–15	Wing		20 October 1984	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 6.	South American Jaguars	21–13	Wing	1	27 October 1984	Newlands, Cape Town
7.	New Zealand Cavaliers	21–15	Wing	1	10 May 1986	Newlands, Cape Town
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 8.	New Zealand Cavaliers	18–19	Wing		17 May 1986	Kings Park, Durban
9.	New Zealand Cavaliers	33–18	Wing		24 May 1986	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 10.	New Zealand Cavaliers	24–10	Wing		31 May 1986	Ellis Park, Johannesburg
11.	World XV	20–19	Wing		26 Aug 1989	Newlands, Cape Town
style="background: #D0E6FF;" \| 12.	World XV	22–16	Wing		2 Sep 1989	Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Coaching career

In late February 1997, du Plessis was appointed coach of the Springboks, succeeding Andre Markgraaff, despite a lack of coaching experience.[https://mg.co.za/article/1997-02-28-du-plessis-in-the-deep-end-as-lions-make "Du Plessis in the deep end as Lions make an early start"], Mail & Guardian, 28 February 1997.Chris Hewett, [https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-du-plessis-made-bold-by-his-belief-1254646.html "Rugby Union: Du Plessis made bold by his belief"], The Independent, 7 June 1997. 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, his last game as coach being a 61–22 win over Australia.Ashfak Mohamed, [https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/springboks/carel-dont-expect-fireworks-on-nov-tour-2084998 "Carel: Don’t expect fireworks on Nov tour"], IOL, 30 October 2016. He was subsequently an assistant coach for Western Province and the Stormers, with Gert Smal.

Personal

Du Plessis is the brother of Michael du Plessis and Willie du Plessis, both former Springboks, father of Jean-Luc du Plessis, who plays for the Stormers, and uncle of Daniël du Plessis, a former South Africa U20 player.

He has undergone three major surgeries after a brain tumour was discovered in January 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/springbok-legend-spiritually-strong-in-cancer-battle-20191129 |title=Springbok legend 'spiritually strong' in cancer battle |date=2019-11-29 |website=Sport |language=en |access-date=2020-04-25}}