South Africans have been left baffled by an All Blacks player named Du’Plessis Kirifi, who made his debut for the New Zealand national team this year. The 28-year-old is part of the squad that will play the Springboks at Eden Park on Saturday, 6 September.
MEET ALL BLACKS PLAYER NAMED AFTER A SPRINGBOK!
Du’Plessis Kirifi – the son of retired rugby player Jack Kirifi – is one of five All Blacks debutantes this year.
Despite having a name many South Africans recognise, the 28-year-old was born and bred in New Zealand.
His father, Jack – a Samoan-born former club player and now a respected rugby coach – named him after former Springbok Morné du Plessis, whom he once played against in France, and befriended thereafter. Morné – who captained the Springboks to a 1976 win over the All Blacks in South Africa – was known for his progressive views that challenged Apartheid’s sideline of non-white players, and ban on Māori players from touring South Africa.
According to reports, Jack liked the name so much that he added an apostrophe and gave it to his firstborn son!
Image via Instagram
DU PLESSIS TO DU’PLESSIS
In 2020 – five years before he would play for the All Blacks first team – Du’Plessis Kirifi received a message from his namesake, Morné du Plessis.
This came after the young Kiwi toured South Africa, as part of his club, the Hurricanes, a year earlier.
He told a New Zealand’s Stuff: “He got wind of [my name] and put together a little video and sent it to me when I was in South Africa. That was pretty special of him to connect that way. I felt very privileged and blessed.
Du’Plessis said that the former Springbok captain had been following his career and had encouraged him to “work hard and stay humble.”
ALL BLACKS NEWBIE: ‘IT’S A GOOD NAME’
“I’m the only person I know with the first-name Du’Plessis, the All Blacks player said in a Sky Sport interview from 2019.
“A lot of people struggle to say it at first,” he jokingly added.
Du’Plessis shared that his dad was adamant about the name and that his mom “didn’t have a say in the thing”.
He added, “But I don’t mind it, it’s a good name.”
DO THE SPRINGBOKS AND ALL BLACKS HAVE THE BEST RIVALRY AND RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER IN WORLD RUGBY?
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