Spirit’s flying centre ready for Manawatu to hit hard
AMY du Plessis supports the Springboks — but try not to hold it against her.
The 21yearold was born in South Africa.
But she loves New Zealand as well. If the opportunity comes to play against her home country, she assures us she would love to smash them.
That may be in her future, too.
The Otago Spirit centre, who moved to Invercargill aged 7, has been in the Black Ferns Sevens development squad for the past three years.
Last year she made her international debut for the full side at the Oceania Championships.
That has led to her meeting the country’s top sevens players, many of whom she will line up against tomorrow.
Manawatu awaits the Otago Spirit in its Farah Palmer Cup match at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The match has huge significance for the Spirit in terms of claiming a semifinal spot.
It will also be its first, and only, home match this year.
Du Plessis was looking forward to going up against some familiar faces and was expecting a tough game.
‘‘They’re going to hit us hard I think,’’ she said.
‘‘They’ve got a really good kicking game and some really good backs.
‘‘I guess they’re going to bring it to us.
‘‘They’re coming off a really good win last week against Wellington. I guess they’ll be fizzing from that.
‘‘So we just have to pick up our game and take it to the next step.’’
Having grown up in Johannesburg, du Plessis’ family moved to New Zealand, following her grandfather who had a dairy farm in Southland.
Her parents now have a farm in Drummond. Du Plessis lived in Southland before moving to Dunedin this year.
She began playing rugby at Southland Girls’ High School, winning the
1st XV national championship alongside Black Fern Alena Saili.
Two gap years followed, before she began a psychology degree by correspondence through Massey University.
A move to the Spirit had also been natural after leaving school, as Southland does not have a women’s team.
The past two seasons she has formed a lethal midfield combination with Kilisitina Moata’ane — du Plessis bringing speed and Moata’ane offering devastating power.
The game had taken her further than up the road too.
Prior to Covid19 she had been in Japan, playing in a professional sevens league with the Tokyo Phoenix.
‘‘It was such a good opportunity.
‘‘I got to play in a club team where we were paid to play.
‘‘I was literally just there playing rugby and earning money and touring the country, so it was a great experience.
‘‘I learned a lot from it and will definitely go back.’’
Tomorrow’s kickoff is at 2.05pm; the match is a curtain raiser to the Otago Ranfurly Shield defence against Hawke’s Bay.