Carel du Plessis
Introduction '''Carel Johan du Plessis''' (born 24 June 1960) 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''. Capped 12 times, he scored 4 tries for the Springboks, but his international career was curtailed by the sports boycott against apartheid South Africa.=== Test history === No. Opposition  Result (SA 1st)  Position  Tries  Date  Venue 1.South American Jaguars 50–18   Wing  1  27 March 1982  Loftus Versveld, Pretoria 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 4.England  35–9  Wing    9 June 1984   Ellis Park, Johannesburg 5.South American Jaguars  32–15   Wing    20 October 1984  Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 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 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 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 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. 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. 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.
See also *List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 523
References