Share

Springbok legend Du Plessis undergoes brain operation

Cape Town - Legendary former Springbok and Western Province wing Carel du Plessis underwent a brain operation on Tuesday morning.

READ: Carel du Plessis chatted to Sport24 back in 2014

WP Rugby's director of rugby Gert Smal confirmed the operation to Netwerk24.

At this stage it's unclear as to the reason the 58-year-old had gone under the knife at Mediclinic Durbanville.

Du Plessis, who was known in his playing days as the 'Prince of Wings', played 12 Tests for the Springboks between 1982 and 1989 and formed part of the Western Province team that won five Currie Cup titles in a row between 1982 and 1986.

He was also the Springbok coach in 1997, taking charge of eight Tests, of which the Boks won three. Du Plessis succeeded Andre Markgraaff and was replaced by Nick Mallett.

Du Plessis was also a Western Province and Stormers assistant coach alongside Smal in the early 2000s.

His son, Jean-Luc, is currently part of the Stormers' Super Rugby squad, as well as his nephew Daniel du Plessis, who is the son of Carel du Plessis' brother and fellow Springbok, Michael.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 961 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 466 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE