Biography
Bismarck du Plessis (born May 22, 1984) is a South African professional rugby union player. He plays for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship.
Du Plessis also plays for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. In 2003, he played for the Free State Cheetahs and moved to the Sharks in 2005.
After playing for Sharks for many years, he joined Montpellier in the French Top 14. He has performed for South African clubs and others abroad.
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| Personal Information | |
| Full Name: | Bismarck Wilhelm du Plessis |
| Born: | May 22, 1984 (age 38 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Bethlehem, Orange Free State, Republic of South Africa |
| Nationality: | South African |
| School: | Grey College, Bloemfontein |
| Alma mater: | University of the Free State |
| Relatives: | Jannie du Plessis, Tabbie du Plessis |
| Spouse: | Anja du Plessis |
| Children: | François Theodorus du Plessis, Gideon Fick du Plessis |
| Height: | 1.88 m |
| Weight: | 114 kg |
Early Life
Bismarck du Plessis was born on May 22, 1984, in Bethlehem, Orange Free State, Republic of South Africa. Jannie du Plessis and Tabbie du Plessis are his known brothers.
Education
Bismarck attended Grey College, Bloemfontein. He studied at the University of the Free State.
Career
In 2005, Bismarck appeared first for the Sharks in Super Rugby (then the Super 12). He played in the same team as John Smit, former captain of South Africa.
In spite of that, he played in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup each time John was absent. The management selected him play for the country in the Tri-Nations Series in 2007.
Bismarck played first for South Africa as a substitute against Australia in Sydney. His brother Jannie was in the starting XV, also his Springboks debut.
Du Plessis and his brother made it as the twenty-third set of brothers to earn caps for SA at rugby union.
In 2007, Bismarck du Plessis replaced Pierre Spies in the national team for the Rugby World Cup.
His brother also replaced BJ Botha after he suffered a knee injury in the final pool match against the United States.
In 2008, he was cited for an eye-gouge on Adam Thomson, a New Zealand rugby union player, after SA’s second game of the Tri-Nations Series.
Bismarck and his brother Jannie made it to the national team for the Rugby World Cup in 2011. He entered in a match against Wales, and his team won 17–16.
In 2012, he won the man of the match for his performance against England in the second test. He scored a try as the Springboks won 36-27.
Du Plessis got two yellow cards in a match against New Zealand during the Rugby Championship in 2013. He has played for the Springboks as a first-choice hooker. He was on the team chosen for the Rugby World Cup in 2015.
Personal Life
Bismarck du Plessis is married to Anja du Plessis. They are proud parents of François Theodorus du Plessis and Gideon Fick du Plessis. The hooker stands as tall as 1.88 m in height and weighs 114 kg.