Rebels sign Du Plessis
6 Jul 2010
Former SA Schools centre JP du Plessis has signed with the Melbourne Rebels.
Du Plessis was on the South African Schools bench last year, and even though he had offers from the Lions and Western Province, he made a move to the Sydney Roosters late last year. His fling with the rugby league club – who scouted him after watching him at the St John’s Easter Festival – wasn’t a success however, and the Rebels announced they’ve signed the 19-year-old.
‘I miss rugby union,’ said Du Plessis, who matriculated from Paul Roos in 2009. ‘I’ve played it all my life and am looking forward to playing it again.
‘I’ve really enjoyed my experience with rugby league, but can’t wait to play Super Rugby with the Melbourne Rebels.’
Rebels assistant coach Damien Hill said Du Plessis could be used in a number of positions by the franchise in next year’s inaugural Super 15.
‘Just 19 years of age, JP has excellent foot work and acceleration,’ said Hill. ‘He’s a balanced runner who plays inside and outside centre and wing.’
40 Comments
6 Jul 2010, 12:19 pm
dammit….here we go again
6 Jul 2010, 12:23 pm
@grant10(grant10)-1: Beale fined for ‘urinating’
2010-07-06 07:47
Brisbane – Wallabies back Kurtley Beale has been fined A$5 000 ($4 200) by the Australian Rugby Union for urinating outside a Brisbane nightclub.
Beale said in a statement Tuesday he had drunk too much alcohol before the incident which happened after Australia’s Test win over Ireland on June 26.
He apologised to those people he had “let down.”
Australian Rugby Union high performance manager David Nucifora said Beale remained in line for selection in the Wallabies squad for this month’s Tri-Nations series. Nucifora said such behaviour could not be excused.
6 Jul 2010, 12:24 pm
Great feet and speed this boy.
He had already signed contract with RugbyLeague club middway through CravenWeek.
We shall see how things pan out for him.
Unlike that former Bulls then Waratahs and back to Griquas Lock.forgot his name.
6 Jul 2010, 12:26 pm
@grant10(grant10)-1:
Just look at it as helping out those less fortunate than ourselves.
6 Jul 2010, 12:27 pm
@grant10(grant10)-1: Bok travel incredibly taxing
2010-07-05 21:21Email | Print
Peter de Villiers (AFP)
Adnaan Mohamed
Auckland – Flying halfway across the world while sitting for close to 20 hours on a plane is not for the faint of heart.
But that is exactly what the Springbok team were faced with when they travelled to the land of the Long White Cloud to front up to the arch enemy, the mighty All Blacks, on home soil for two successive weeks.
And having gone though the whole experience myself, I have newfound respect for professional rugby players who constantly have to spend long arduous hours on planes to get to their destinations.
Having travelled quite a bit myself, I still haven’t encountered a journey as long and gruelling as the one I experienced this time around.
The two hour flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg was pleasant enough.
The highlight for me was feeling the 2010 Soccer World Cup vibe and interacting with hundreds of foreign soccer enthusiasts, watching Germany demolish Argentina at OR Tambo airport.
It also helped to kill five hours of my time while waiting to catch my connecting flight to Sydney.
The flight to Sydney however, is a killer.
Besides watching movies there is nothing else to do but try to get a little bit of shut eye.
The designs of the seats in economy class are not exactly ideal. While sitting in an upright position, you are squeezed in tightly like sardines in a can.
This is not conducive for someone needing some serious shut eye.
Landing in Sydney is a relief simply because it means you at least get a chance to stretch your legs.
But then there is still the traumatic experience of having to clear the tedious Australian customs in time for the last leg of the three hour journey to Auckland.
By the end of it all you are well and truly knackered. From a players point of view the last thing on your mind is having to front up to the all Black Haka in a few days time.
But like all professional teams, the Boks have a plan to counter this effect. Springbok team doctor, Craig Roberts walked around with a plate handing out medication to all the players and members of the management team just after their arrival at around 20:30 on Monday in the foyer of the Crowne Plaza.
Butch James and Francois Hougaard arrived at the hotel with only their hand luggage after the rest of their belongings did not arrive with the others at the airport.
It was not only the players and management who were feeling the after effects of the long journey but the journalists as well.
The doc explained to me that one tablet is to help to recover from jet lag, while the other one was a strong sleeping tablet.
I had not slept since my arrival on Sunday night and was already starting to feel like a zombie.
The Doc advised me to take both tablets at around midnight.
So, while writing this diary entry, I am already starting to feel drowsy.
With a bit of luck I wake will wake up refreshed and in time up to join the Boks at their practice session at Onewa Park on Tuesday.
Hopefully they would also have shrugged off that dreaded jet lag so that they can be well rested come Saturday.
6 Jul 2010, 12:33 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-3: hendrik roodt
6 Jul 2010, 12:36 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-3: andile jho (2010 & last year’s saschools 12) vs Phillipus du Plessis?
take your pick
6 Jul 2010, 12:47 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-7: Obvious I’m bias
, Andile Jho, takes it!!!
6 Jul 2010, 12:47 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-2: An Aussie player misbehaving after drinking too much?! That must be a first! What is the world coming too…
6 Jul 2010, 12:50 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-7:
To be quite honest I havent seen much of either.I saw DuPlessis in “battle of Paarl” in Classic clashes game last yr.Boy does he have a STEP!!! Reminds me of Fleck at his peak.
Andile Jho-seen almost nothing of him except the one Boland game this yr Cravenweek…Wasnt too impressive,seemed intent on rounding entire backline while running sideways.Has a impressive handoffs though.
6 Jul 2010, 12:58 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-10: He is this year’s SA Schools center, the boy has gas, step and a mean howzit!!!
6 Jul 2010, 12:59 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-10:
If he reminds you of Fleck then he cant be that great.
6 Jul 2010, 12:59 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-8: pity he has signed for the Blue Bulls and wants nothing to do with EP/Border or the Southern Kings
6 Jul 2010, 13:02 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-10: i saw briefly on saturday that tshotsho mbovane from WP, he’s also got a step on him but defensively he was suspect against those free state boys…
6 Jul 2010, 13:08 pm
Damn… I really liked the look of this dude. The Rebels will no doubt play him for 3 years to allow him to earn Australian citizenship.
6 Jul 2010, 13:12 pm
I guess we have enough talent in Swall-Smith and Jho coming through…. But it would be great to have these guys together with JP Du Plessis to battle it out for the best centre in the future for SA
6 Jul 2010, 13:21 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-14:
Watched Mbovane,great step and speed BUT terrible decision making.Too many 50-50 offloads in tackles.counted 2 that resulted in tries for FS.
The WP blindside 7-Notshe is phenomenal.Excellent athlete,ball skills and speed.Was everywhere,outplayed FS counterparts.He will be a star.WP produced some great loosies of late namely: Nizaam Kar,Yaya Hartzenberg as well.
Watch out for Khaya Majola(1.88m,101kg) the only player to make SA Schools team from KZN. All round loosefwd.Has almost everything u want in a blindside or at 8.Feel he is a better 8 but quite adept at 6 as well.
Goosen the FS 10 also looks the part,great allround ability.But particularly impressive with boot.
6 Jul 2010, 13:24 pm
i hope khaya isn’t as k@k in rugby like his namesake was
6 Jul 2010, 13:24 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-13: Is Jho going to the Bulls? I am pretty excited if that is the case – saw him playing Craven week last year, and he is strong, good feet and very creative, from what I remember.
There was talk of du Plessis heading over to the Lions because his dad is coach there if I remember correctly. Interesting that he is staying in Australia – I guess no-one in South Africa wanted him?
6 Jul 2010, 13:43 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-19: Lions and WP offered him contracts… He chose Australia!
6 Jul 2010, 13:58 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-19:
Border centre Andile Jho, who has joined the Bulls, admitted that the rise of Eastern Cape rugby was not appealing to him.
‘It was a difficult decision for me because it means I have to leave my family behind, but I like the Bulls’ style of rugby. I’m not really interested in playing for the Southern Kings one day,’ he said.
SA U18 players signed by unions:
WP – Kelvin de Bruyn [prop], Marcus Heinrich [flank], Eben Eztebeth [lock], Zolani Faku [prop], Nizaam Carr [flank], William van Wyk [flyhalf] and Frans Malherbe [prop].
Bulls – Juan Schoeman [prop], Lean Swartz [flank], Gerno Eksteen [lock], JJ Breedt [lock], Andile Jho [centre] and Lohan Jacobs [scrumhalf].
Cheetahs – Siya Kolisi [flank], Riaan Britz [fullback], Carl Wegner [lock], Jean Cook [flank] and Pieter Rademan [scrumhalf].
Lions – Gareth Topkin [hooker], Garth April [fullback] and JR Esterhuizen [wing]
Sharks – Piet Lindeque [centre]
By Gareth Duncan
This entry was posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009
6 Jul 2010, 14:00 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-21: siya kolisi ended up at the lions because the cheetahs ahd signed him when he was underage so his contract with them was deem invalid…
6 Jul 2010, 14:06 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-22:
Lions have some excellent under age group talent that signed with them(Jaco Taute,Kolisi,Jantjes,Marcel vd Merwe,Mjekevu)..Pity theyll mess them up like they are with Johan van Deventer
6 Jul 2010, 14:32 pm
Great, another bonehead with an Aussie accent
6 Jul 2010, 14:32 pm
@Gambit25(Gambit25)-20: I mean after he had left for Australia. No attempt to bring him back and also no attempt from him to head back to South Africa.
@Transformation(Transformation)-21: Thank you – will be interesting to see who is signed from this years Craven Week. If Dippenaar fails in the Currie Cup, we might see Jho in next years Currie Cup or the Super 15 in 2012.
6 Jul 2010, 14:47 pm
ROOSTERS recruitment man Peter O’Sullivan failed to shoot down a target while on a rugby league hunting trip in South Africa last week.
Looks like the League clubs in Australia are struggling to get signatures in South Africa.
6 Jul 2010, 14:49 pm
Although the reason for this is probably because they didn’t go to the correct place – they planned to head out to the “Cravenwick carnival”!
6 Jul 2010, 15:31 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-22: No Transie… He is contracted to WP Rugby as of this year!
6 Jul 2010, 15:44 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-23:
You really rate van Deventer huh? Saw him in the 2008 u20 world cup being manhandled by the bigger England forwards… just don’t think he’ll ever make it in Superrugby.
6 Jul 2010, 15:50 pm
@seamus(seamus)-24: Yah, oh ****. Soon he’ll be spewing the same sort of rubbish we hear from Vrede on a weekly basis. Five-Eight, Footy, Pill, etc. etc.
6 Jul 2010, 15:52 pm
Whatever happened to PJ Vermeulen? If I recall correctly he captained the Baby Boks 2 years ago? Played in the midfield.
6 Jul 2010, 15:57 pm
What happened to Casper Steyn?
6 Jul 2010, 16:01 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-32: possibly a barman in Witbank but probably still playing – my guess is in the south of France.
6 Jul 2010, 16:11 pm
@Kiddo(Kid_Senekal)-31:
PJ Vermuelen was playing for the Cavaliers in last year’s CC on loan from WP and no he was never captain of the Baby Boks coz he played in the 2005 world championship winning u19 side that was captained by Alistair Hargreaves.
6 Jul 2010, 16:20 pm
@Gambit25(Gambit25)-28: what? When was this announced?
6 Jul 2010, 16:33 pm
@Gambit25(Gambit25)-28: i see, just did a search and it came up that he is with wp u19
this kid is moving around, i hope he doesn’t get messed up in all of this!
6 Jul 2010, 16:34 pm
@Gambit25(Gambit25)-28: i see, just did a search and it came up that he is with wp u19
this kid is moving around, i hope he doesn’t get messed up in all of this and end up like kaunda ntunja!
6 Jul 2010, 18:15 pm
mxhosa
I rate him highly,the entire pack didn’t play well that day in 2008.Even Frans Hougaard struggled in that game-and he has been superb foe Bulls.So one bad performance at u19 level doesn’t spell out his potential.
Saw him play S14 rugby last yr in 2009-he was outstanding vs Crusaders & vs Bulls.Against world class opposition.More turnovers than McCaw in Saders game.
For one slight in frame as well he is a decent ball carrier.much like Heinrich Brussow.Has put on plenty good weight since 2008 days much like Steggman/Brussow at under-age level to pro’s.
7 Jul 2010, 07:24 am
TO OVERSEAS SCOUTS: Look on the benches of the South African sides for your talent! Example: Stormers: Pieter Louw (Captained the baby boks) , JD Moller, Jantjies… etc. They are not appreciated by their sides.
7 Jul 2010, 07:58 am
aaaaahhhh I didn’t mean that. Actually now wish there was a “delete” option on the comments…
Frustrated.
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