The Lions fulcrum nearly had his career ended by a heart condition but has become of the URC's top performing back-rows.
The tragic incident happened at Du Plessis' home in the mining town of Krugersdorp, near Johannesburg, and has been confirmed by local police and Du Plessis' provincial side, the Lions.
The tragic incident happened at Du Plessis' home in the mining town of Krugersdorp, near Johannesburg, and has been confirmed by local police and Du Plessis' provincial side, the Lions.
Why South Africa's 2019 World Cup victory resonated more deeply than the 1995 and 2007 triumphs.
Having a dedicated players' union representative as part of a Test team's management staff was unheard of until last month's appointment in South Africa for the 2019 World Cup.
In what is probably a first for professional rugby, Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli has revealed that although Malcolm Marx and Conrad Jantjies were not originally on the team sheet to face the Chiefs, it was always intended for the duo to start.