No doubt, Dan has that special gene
I NEVER saw the legendary Michael du Plessis in action, or Carel du Plessis. All I have to go on to visualise their greatness are the nostalgic talks of “older” rugby nuts and blurry YouTube videos.
But if Western Province and Stormers centre Dan du Plessis is anything like his old man Michael, then I think I have, in fact, seen enough to make that image of the former flyhalf and centre a bit clearer.
An elusive inside centre with an eye for a gap, Dan proved to be a gem at junior level with the South African Under-20 side that finished third at the 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship (he started in every game) and WP’s youth ranks.
And last year he showed that he can be just as valuable for the senior sides as he has been for the juniors. The cousin of Stormers pivot Jean-Luc, Dan endured a tough season last year as he suffered a number of injuries that kept him out for a considerable period.
He sustained a concussion in the Stormers 22-3 bonus-point victory over the Western Force, and he suffered a knee injury in WP’s win over the Eastern Province Kings in what was his first match after returning from a shoulder injury.
But if there’s one thing that last season also brought, it was the assurance that this guy is a midfielder to watch and definitely one who should be used to his full potential by both the Stormers and WP.
I mean, just think about it. Think about his Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup qualifiers, Currie Cup and Super Rugby performances. Remember when WP faced the Blue Bulls in their opening Currie Cup showdown earlier last year?
Well if you do, you should be able to remember the impact that the young man made to help WP bag the win.
He showed off some good touches with the ball in the form of fine passes and superb offloads in the tackle.
He added some grit to his classy performance with a number of hand-offs. He ran hard at the Bulls’ defence and he made the gain line his own.
He gave some width to WP’s attack and he created opportunities for his wings, regularly bringing them into the game. And that right there is more than what some other centres can say.
Against the Free State Cheetahs two weeks later, Dan again starred as he turned the game around after halftime and scored a brace to spark WP’s fight. But he didn’t keep his first-class senior performances to the domestic competition.
When Dan made his Super Rugby debut against the Cheetahs at Newlands before the international break, he did so in style – playing a full 80 minutes and scoring a try to boot.
My editor Ian Smit is a Michael du Plessis fan if ever there was one. And he says that try reminded him a lot of Michael ... the vision to cut inside, transfer the ball and hand off a defender in one smooth motion.
And since then we have seen the talented 21-year-old become a real contender for the No 12 jersey in the centre-rich Stormers change-room.
You see, Dan is one of those players who, although still raw, has all that attributes that make him a standout in his position.
He is the owner of a fantastic pass. He has vision. He is strong in the tackle and in the carry. He has courage and determination. He is not afraid to go for the outside gap. He is strong both on attack and defence. And, just like his father, he is not afraid to try things out of the ordinary.
Last year Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said that Dan is an “exciting player with a bit of X-factor”.
But I think Dan has showed us that he has more than just a bit of what gives a player ...well, that X-factor. That special gene.