All Blacks newbie Du’Plessis Kirifi – who was named after former Springbok captain Morné du Plessis – has admitted that he is one of the only New Zealanders who sports the unique name.
But like many South Africans, the 28-year-old is known for his silly nickname…
DU’PLESSIS KIRIFI: WHAT DO HIS PALS CALL HIM?
According to Du’Plessis Kirifi, his father, Jack – a retired rugby player – met and befriended former Springbok captain Morné du Plessis whilst playing abroad.
Jack liked the name so much that he added an apostrophe and gave it to his firstborn son!
The 28-year-old later admitted that, as far as he could tell, he was the only Du’Plessis he knew. He added that many people who met him struggled to say his name.
Images via X: @allblacks
The All Blacks player’s Instagram handle is @deepblueseeee, playing on the phonetics of his name.
According to his club, the Hurricanes, Du’Plessis is known by the name “Dupy” or “Dupes”.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
According to several ancestry sites, there are close to 100 000 known South Africans with the surname, Du Plessis.
The name is derived from French surgeon Jean Prieur du Plessis, who arrived in the Cape in 1688.
It is ranked in the top 50 most common surnames in the country.
ARE YOU A FAN OF DU’PLESSIS KIRIFI?
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