Jannie du Plessis
Full names: Jan Nathaniel
Date of birth: 16 Nov 1982
Place of birth: Bethlehem
School: Grey College
Springbok no: 788
Springbok debut province: Cheetahs
Physical: 1.88m, 121.0kg
Current age: 42
Test summary: Tests: 70 Tries: 1
First Test: 7 Jul 2007 Age 24 - Tight-head Prop against Australia at Stadium Australia, Sydney
Last Test: 30 Oct 2015 Age 32 - Reserve against Argentina at Olympic Stadium, London
Tours IRB Rugby World Cup - France 2007 Wales 2007 Wales, Scotland & England 2008 France, Italy & Ireland 2009 Ireland, Wales, Scotland & England 2010 IRB Rugby World Cup - New Zealand 2011 Ireland, Scotland & England 2012 Wales, Scotland & France 2013 Ireland, England, Italy & Wales 2014 IRB Rugby World Cup - England 2015
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
07 Jul 2007 24Tight-head Prop Australia Stadium Australia, Sydney Lose: 17-25  Cheetahs
14 Jul 2007 24Tight-head Prop New Zealand Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), Christchurch Lose: 6-33  Cheetahs
07 Oct 2007 24Tight-head Prop Fiji Stade Velodrome, Marseilles Win: 37-20  Cheetahs
14 Oct 2007 24Reserve Argentina Stade de France, Paris Win: 37-13  Cheetahs
24 Nov 2007 25Tight-head Prop Wales Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Win: 34-12  Cheetahs
30 Aug 2008 25Reserve Australia Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 53-8  Sharks
22 Nov 2008 26Tight-head Prop England Twickenham, London Win: 42-6  Sharks
25 Jul 2009 26Reserve New Zealand Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Win: 28-19  Sharks
01 Aug 2009 26Reserve New Zealand Kingspark, Durban Win: 31-19  Sharks
08 Aug 2009 26Reserve Australia Newlands, Cape Town Win: 29-17  Sharks
29 Aug 2009 26Reserve Australia Subiaco Oval, Perth Win: 32-25  Sharks
12 Sep 2009 26Reserve New Zealand Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Win: 32-29  Sharks
05 Jun 2010 27Reserve Wales Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Win: 34-31  Sharks
12 Jun 2010 27Reserve France Newlands, Cape Town Win: 42-17  Sharks
19 Jun 2010 27Tight-head Prop Italy Puma Stadium, Witbank Win: 29-13  Sharks
26 Jun 2010 27Tight-head Prop Italy Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London Win: 55-111 try Sharks
10 Jul 2010 27Tight-head Prop New Zealand Eden Park, Auckland Lose: 12-32  Sharks
21 Aug 2010 27Tight-head Prop New Zealand National Stadium, Johannesburg Lose: 22-29  Sharks
28 Aug 2010 27Tight-head Prop Australia Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 44-31  Sharks
04 Sep 2010 27Tight-head Prop Australia Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Lose: 39-41  Sharks
06 Nov 2010 27Tight-head Prop Ireland Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin Win: 23-21  Sharks
13 Nov 2010 27Tight-head Prop Wales Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff Win: 29-25  Sharks
20 Nov 2010 28Tight-head Prop Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh Lose: 17-21  Sharks
27 Nov 2010 28Tight-head Prop England Twickenham, London Win: 21-11  Sharks
13 Aug 2011 28Tight-head Prop Australia Kingspark, Durban Lose: 9-14  Sharks
20 Aug 2011 28Tight-head Prop New Zealand Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth Win: 18-5  Sharks
11 Sep 2011 28Tight-head Prop Wales Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Win: 17-16  Sharks
17 Sep 2011 28Tight-head Prop Fiji Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Win: 49-3  Sharks
30 Sep 2011 28Tight-head Prop Samoa North Harbour Stadium, North Shore City Win: 13-5  Sharks
09 Oct 2011 28Tight-head Prop Australia Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Lose: 9-11  Sharks
09 Jun 2012 29Tight-head Prop England Kingspark, Durban Win: 22-17  Sharks
16 Jun 2012 29Tight-head Prop England Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 36-27  Sharks
23 Jun 2012 29Tight-head Prop England Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth Draw: 14-14  Sharks
18 Aug 2012 29Tight-head Prop Argentina Newlands, Cape Town Win: 27-6  Sharks
25 Aug 2012 29Tight-head Prop Argentina Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza Draw: 16-16  Sharks
08 Sep 2012 29Tight-head Prop Australia Subiaco Oval, Perth Lose: 19-26  Sharks
15 Sep 2012 29Tight-head Prop New Zealand Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Lose: 11-21  Sharks
29 Sep 2012 29Tight-head Prop Australia Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 31-8  Sharks
06 Oct 2012 29Tight-head Prop New Zealand National Stadium, Johannesburg Lose: 16-32  Sharks
10 Nov 2012 29Tight-head Prop Ireland Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin Win: 16-12  Sharks
17 Nov 2012 30Tight-head Prop Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh Win: 21-10  Sharks
24 Nov 2012 30Tight-head Prop England Twickenham, London Win: 16-15  Sharks
08 Jun 2013 30Tight-head Prop Italy Kingspark, Durban Win: 44-10  Sharks
15 Jun 2013 30Tight-head Prop Scotland Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit Win: 30-17  Sharks
22 Jun 2013 30Tight-head Prop Samoa Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 56-23  Sharks
17 Aug 2013 30Tight-head Prop Argentina National Stadium, Johannesburg Win: 73-13  Sharks
24 Aug 2013 30Tight-head Prop Argentina Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza Win: 22-17  Sharks
07 Sep 2013 30Tight-head Prop Australia Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane Win: 38-12  Sharks
14 Sep 2013 30Tight-head Prop New Zealand Eden Park, Auckland Lose: 15-29  Sharks
28 Sep 2013 30Tight-head Prop Australia Newlands, Cape Town Win: 28-8  Sharks
05 Oct 2013 30Tight-head Prop New Zealand Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 27-38  Sharks
14 Jun 2014 31Tight-head Prop Wales Kingspark, Durban Win: 38-16  Sharks
21 Jun 2014 31Tight-head Prop Wales Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit Win: 31-30  Sharks
28 Jun 2014 31Tight-head Prop Scotland Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth Win: 55-6  Sharks
16 Aug 2014 31Tight-head Prop Argentina Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Win: 13-6  Sharks
23 Aug 2014 31Tight-head Prop Argentina Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta Win: 33-31  Sharks
06 Sep 2014 31Tight-head Prop Australia Subiaco Oval, Perth Lose: 23-24  Sharks
13 Sep 2014 31Tight-head Prop New Zealand Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington Lose: 10-14  Sharks
27 Sep 2014 31Tight-head Prop Australia Newlands, Cape Town Win: 28-10  Sharks
04 Oct 2014 31Tight-head Prop New Zealand Ellispark, Johannesburg Win: 27-25  Sharks
08 Nov 2014 31Tight-head Prop Ireland Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin Lose: 15-29  Sharks
15 Nov 2014 31Tight-head Prop England Twickenham, London Win: 31-28  Sharks
18 Jul 2015 32Tight-head Prop Australia Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane Lose: 20-24  Sharks
25 Jul 2015 32Tight-head Prop New Zealand Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 20-27  Sharks
19 Sep 2015 32Tight-head Prop Japan Brighton Community Stadium, Brighton Lose: 32-34  Sharks
26 Sep 2015 32Tight-head Prop Samoa Villa Park, Birmingham Win: 46-6  Sharks
03 Oct 2015 32Tight-head Prop Scotland St. James Park, Newcastle Win: 34-16  Sharks
17 Oct 2015 32Reserve Wales Twickenham, London Win: 23-19  Sharks
24 Oct 2015 32Reserve New Zealand Twickenham, London Lose: 18-20  Sharks
30 Oct 2015 32Reserve Argentina Olympic Stadium, London Win: 24-13  Sharks

Dr. Jan Nathaniel “Jannie” du Plessis was born on 16 November 1982 in Bethlehem, Free State, and is one of South African rugby’s most respected front-rowers - a player who combined intelligence, power, and professionalism both on and off the field. A qualified medical doctor and a Rugby World Cup winner, du Plessis is part of a rare breed who balanced two of the most demanding professions in the world: medicine and international rugby.

He showed leadership and ability from a young age, captaining the Eastern Free State age-group team at Craven Week. After school, he studied medicine at the University of the Free State, earning his medical degree while continuing to rise through the rugby ranks. His early provincial rugby came with the Free State Cheetahs, where his formidable scrummaging, work rate, and toughness soon made him one of the leading tighthead props in South Africa.

Du Plessis made his Springbok debut on 7 July 2007 against Australia in the Tri-Nations, starting alongside his younger brother Bismarck du Plessis, who made his debut as a substitute later in the same match. The two became the 23rd set of brothers to represent South Africa - and among the most iconic.

Although not originally selected for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Jannie was called up to replace the injured BJ Botha during the tournament. He went on to play a role in South Africa’s victorious campaign, lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in Paris. Remarkably, just one week after returning home, du Plessis played for the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup final, demonstrating his professionalism and commitment to his team.

In 2008, he moved to the Sharks, becoming a cornerstone of their pack for nearly a decade and helping them win the 2010 Currie Cup. Du Plessis also featured prominently for the Springboks at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups, earning a reputation as one of the world’s most reliable and technically sound tighthead props.

Off the field, du Plessis’ compassion and quick thinking were on display in 2009, when Brumbies lock Shawn Mackay was struck by a car in Durban. Du Plessis, who was nearby, rushed to assist, using his medical training to stabilise Mackay and maintain his breathing until emergency services arrived - a moment that underlined both his character and his rare combination of professions.

Known for his humility, professionalism, and brotherly bond with Bismarck, Jannie du Plessis is widely admired in South African rugby as both a fierce competitor and a man of substance - a World Cup-winning Springbok and medical doctor who embodied toughness and humanity in equal measure.