Carel Johan du Plessis is a former South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

n rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 coach and player.

Playing career

Du Plessis played for Western Province

Western Province (rugby team)

DHL Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions and has the most supporters of any Currie Cup team...

 and the Springboks, his skills earning him the nickname the Prince of Wings. Capped 12 times, he scored 4 tries for the Springboks, but his international career was curtailed by the sports boycott against apartheid South Africa.

Coaching career

Du Plessis was controversially appointed coach of the Springboks in spite of his lack of coaching experience. He led the team to defeat in both the British and Irish Lions

British and Irish Lions

The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...

' 1997 tour

1997 British Lions tour to South Africa

The 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa was a series of matches played by the British and Irish Lions rugby union team in South Africa.This tour followed the Lions' 1993 tour to New Zealand and preceded their 2001 tour to Australia....

 and the 1997

1997 Tri Nations Series

The 1997 Tri Nations Series was contested from 19 July to 23 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams. The All Blacks continued their unbeaten record to win their second tournament.-Results:...

 Tri-Nations, before being sacked and replaced by Nick Mallett

Nick Mallett

Nicholas Vivian Howard Mallett is a former South African rugby union player who was until recently the head coach of the Italian national team, previously replacing Pierre Berbizier on 3 October 2007...

.