Bismarck du Plessis
Encyclopedia
Bismarck du Plessis is a South African rugby union
player, who plays for South Africa
internationally, the Natal Sharks
in the domestic Currie Cup
, and the Sharks in Super Rugby.
in the Free State
province, Bismarck du Plessis made his debut for the Sharks in Super Rugby (then the Super 12) in 2005. As he plays hooker and plays in the same team as South Africa's captain, John Smit
, for much of his career he has been a backup to Smit; however, this has changed with Smit's recent move to tighthead prop. Before Smit's change of position, du Plessis nonetheless played in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup
whenever Smit is unavailable, and in 2007
was selected to play for South Africa in the Tri Nations Series. He made his debut for South Africa as a substitute in the same game against Australia
in Sydney in which his older brother, Jannie
, who was in the starting XV, also made his Springboks debut. The du Plessis brothers became the 23rd set of brothers to earn caps
for South Africa at rugby union.
Following an illness to Pierre Spies
, Bismarck du Plessis was called into South Africa's squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
; his brother Jannie was a later addition to the squad, replacing BJ Botha
, who injured a knee in South Africa's final pool match against the USA
.
During the 2008 end-of-year Test series
, the Springboks moved Smit to tighthead in order to accommodate both him and the younger, faster du Plessis in the front row together; this change has continued through the 2009 Super 14 season and into the Boks' 2009 Test season.
After South Africa's second game of the 2008 Tri Nations Series
, against New Zealand, du Plessis was cited for an eye-gouge on New Zealand's Adam Thomson
. At the subsequent disciplinary hearing, which was the first of his career, the judicial officer found that his action had been "careless", not deliberate, and imposed a three-week suspension, a significantly lower penalty than the three-to-six months' suspensions routinely imposed for deliberate eye-gouging.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, who plays for South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
internationally, the Natal Sharks
Natal Sharks
The Natal Sharks are a South African rugby union team that participate in the annual Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments. The Sharks home stadium is Kings Park. They draw most of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Sharks are the current representative team of the Natal rugby...
in the domestic Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
, and the Sharks in Super Rugby.
Career
A native of the town of BethlehemBethlehem, Free State
Bethlehem is a town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river along a fertile valley just south of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 highway....
in the Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic and later Orange Free State Province. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans...
province, Bismarck du Plessis made his debut for the Sharks in Super Rugby (then the Super 12) in 2005. As he plays hooker and plays in the same team as South Africa's captain, John Smit
John Smit
John William Smit is the 50th and current captain of the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks. He has played most of his career as a hooker, but played twice for the Springboks off the bench as a prop prior to the South Africa coaching staff's decision to use him as a tighthead...
, for much of his career he has been a backup to Smit; however, this has changed with Smit's recent move to tighthead prop. Before Smit's change of position, du Plessis nonetheless played in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
whenever Smit is unavailable, and in 2007
2007 Tri Nations Series
The 2007 Tri Nations Series was an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The series began in South Africa on 16 June, with a Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands, Cape Town and ended on 21 July in Eden Park, Auckland...
was selected to play for South Africa in the Tri Nations Series. He made his debut for South Africa as a substitute in the same game against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in Sydney in which his older brother, Jannie
Jannie du Plessis
Jan Nathaniel "Jannie" du Plessis is a South African rugby union player, who plays as a prop for South Africa and the Sharks in Super Rugby...
, who was in the starting XV, also made his Springboks debut. The du Plessis brothers became the 23rd set of brothers to earn caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for South Africa at rugby union.
Following an illness to Pierre Spies
Pierre Spies
Pierre Johan Spies is a South African rugby union player. His usual position is number 8 , where he plays for the Vodacom Bulls in the international Super 14 competition. He has represented the Springboks since 2006.He made his debut for the Blue Bulls in 2005 in a match against the Griquas...
, Bismarck du Plessis was called into South Africa's squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
; his brother Jannie was a later addition to the squad, replacing BJ Botha
BJ Botha
Brendon James Botha, better known as BJ Botha is a South African rugby union player. He is a prop for the Irish Province, Munster. He signed for Ulster on Thursday 14 August 2008 on a three year deal, and left the province in May 2011...
, who injured a knee in South Africa's final pool match against the USA
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
.
During the 2008 end-of-year Test series
2008 end of year rugby tests
The 2008 end of year rugby tests, also known as the Autumn internationals saw Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, the Pacific Islanders and Canada tour the northern hemisphere. The tour ended with the traditional 'final challenge' Barbarians match, against Australia, which was the...
, the Springboks moved Smit to tighthead in order to accommodate both him and the younger, faster du Plessis in the front row together; this change has continued through the 2009 Super 14 season and into the Boks' 2009 Test season.
After South Africa's second game of the 2008 Tri Nations Series
2008 Tri Nations Series
The 2008 Tri Nations Series was the thirteenth annual Tri Nations competition between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa...
, against New Zealand, du Plessis was cited for an eye-gouge on New Zealand's Adam Thomson
Adam Thomson
Adam Thomson is an Australian rules footballer who played for Port Adelaide and Richmond in the Australian Football League .-Career:...
. At the subsequent disciplinary hearing, which was the first of his career, the judicial officer found that his action had been "careless", not deliberate, and imposed a three-week suspension, a significantly lower penalty than the three-to-six months' suspensions routinely imposed for deliberate eye-gouging.