Not even in his wildest dreams the 20 year old former Junior Olympic discus champion could have expected the 2013 season he had on the rugby fields of the world. Du Plessis started off with UP-Tuks in the domestic Varsity Cup competition and after a couple of dominating performances for the eventual champions, the lock/loose forward was a shoe in for the Junior Springboks, who won the bronze medal at the IRB Junior World Championships in France.
An injury crisis in the Vodacom Bulls camp after the inbound tests in June resulted in a Vodacom Super Rugby debut at lock against the DHL Stormers and he became a regular starter at flank for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the Absa Currie Cup. Big, strong and powerful, much is expected in 2014.