Jean-Luc du Plessis has started training with the DHL Stormers team at the start of his quest to get back his rugby fitness after a long injury layoff.
The former Stormers and Western Province flyhalf is back in the Cape after a few seasons playing in Japan and according to his cousin Dan and Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman, both he and WP are open-minded about the potential for the son of the former Prince of Wings, Carel du Plessis, to be reunited with his old teammates.
“Jean-Luc is back in the Cape, but I am not sure where he stands contractually with WP,” said centre Dan du Plessis.
“He has returned home but at the moment he is busy with rehab and just joining in while he gets himself fit again. Once he is back on the field after the rehab is over he will make a decision on what he wants to do once he starts playing again.”
While he is training without a contract at present and doesn’t officially form part of the Stormers group, Snyman suggested that there was a strong possibility that there could be a place for Du Plessis in the Stormers/WP system should he want it.
“He is obviously a special player and we were very sad when we lost him,” said Snyman in an online press conference on Wednesday.
“It didn’t work out for him overseas and he is a free agent. He asked us if he could train with us in his attempt to get back his fitness and we said yes. Once you have played for the Stormers and been a Stormer you are always welcome back. At the moment we are just giving him a chance to regain his fitness. After that, we will reassess.”
Snyman appeared impressed with how much Du Plessis appears to have grown since he was part of the Stormers' set-up.
“He appears to have matured a lot while overseas. He was very feisty before, but now he has calmed down. I’d definitely say he matured overseas. When he was here before he was doing things like shouting at the forwards and telling off players like Eben Etzebeth, telling him what to do. Now he is a bit more relaxed and I’d say he has grown up a bit.”
Du Plessis, who is now 28, last played for the Stormers in 2020, after amassing 39 caps in a four-year career that started in 2016 following a period at the Sharks Academy, a time during which he represented the Sharks XV. He had a few long injury layoffs during his time in South Africa and moved to Honda Heat at the start of 2021.
With Sacha Mngomezulu being seen as a potential Springbok flyhalf for the future, and Manie Libbok in such excellent form since moving down to the Cape from Durban, Du Plessis is no longer likely in the bracket of a future star and would probably also be behind the talented young Kade Wolhuter in the Stormers pecking order.
It should also not be forgotten that although he plays mostly inside centre and fullback for the Stormers, Damian Willemse is currently the incumbent Bok flyhalf. So that makes four flyhalves ahead of him.
However, Tim Swiel has gone to Japan so there is a potential gap to be filled and with the Stormers now playing both URC and the Champions Cup, it is a case of the more the merrier when it comes to depth in a key position like flyhalf, provided of course that WP can afford it.