Carel Johan du Plessis (born 24 June 1960)[1] is a former South African rugby union coach and player.
Du Plessis played for Western Province and the Springboks, his skills earning him the nickname the Prince of Wings.
[2] Capped 12 times, he scored 4 tries for the Springboks, but his international career was curtailed by the sports boycott against apartheid South Africa.
[4][5] He led the team to defeat in both the British and Irish Lions' 1997 tour and the 1997 Tri-Nations, before being sacked and replaced by Nick Mallett, his last game as coach being a 61–22 win over Australia.
[6] He was subsequently an assistant coach for Western Province and the Stormers, with Gert Smal.