CAPE TOWN - Good, seriously good, ridiculously good ... whatever you want to call Dan du Plessis, one thing you can never call him is “just the other Du Plessis”.
Until now, it’s been Dan’s cousin, the now-departed Jean-Luc, who’s been the better-known rugby player.
Dan, on the other hand, has been fighting injury over the last few years and is yet to enjoy an injury-free run.
He’s spent more time off the field than he has on it since making his Stormers debut back in 2015.
Now, though, the Stormers centre seems well on his way to being ready for action.
If it weren’t for those injuries, there’s a pretty good chance that the 25-year-old would have been in the Springbok mix by now, or at least he should have been, but his unfortunate run with injuries over the years have consistently led to him finding himself outside the Stormers’ selection circle.
Speaking on Du Plessis’ road to recovery last week, Stormers coach John Dobson said: “Dan is 100%. We all know that if he is fit, that’s a really special rugby player.”
Dobson has often spoken about Du Plessis’ quality and how he rates him as one for the future.
And with local rugby set to kick off on October 10, it could be Du Plessis’ chance to put himself onto the Bok radar.
All he needs to do, really, is put that ridiculously efficient skillset on display. But in order for him to do that, he’ll have to escape injury’s eager clutches.
If the former Junior Springbok and SA Schools player can do that, there is no doubt that he will become the Stormers’ ultimate centrepiece, after all, he certainly has all the ability and talent to do just that.
He’s really is special.
It’s not just the skillset that makes him special. It’s not just that passing game or even the fact that he can be really, really physical.
It’s the way he combines all of that into a package of classy efficiency.
All of that just adds to his calibre as a player.
If we can see that for a good period without injury intervening, there’s no telling what this guy can achieve.
And it all starts this weekend.
@WynonaLouw