Lions rookie loose forward Renzo du Plessis was massively surprised when he saw his name on the list of players for the first Springbok alignment camp this past week.
After a breakthrough Currie Cup season, where he scored tries for the fun of it, the 22-year-old made the camp despite playing the least minutes of all the invited players in the United Rugby Championship (URC) this season.
His exploits in the Currie Cup last season, of which he won Player of the Year at the recent SA Rugby Awards, laid the foundation for his inclusion.
The Carling Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year goes to Renzo du Plessis of the Fidelity ADT Lions 🦁#SARugbyAwards #WhereChampionsRise #CurrieCup pic.twitter.com/y44CyInbKj
— The Carling Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) March 13, 2025
It also shows that Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has noticed something in the rookie that could benefit the national side in the future.
“I played the least number of minutes out of everyone at the camp so that means coach Rassie and the management see something in me and I must have that confidence in myself to know that I am good enough to be there,” Du Plessis said about attending the camp.
“They said to us ‘you are not there by chance, but because you were chosen’. I must believe they see me as a player who can play for the Boks. I must work with that going forward. Train like that and see me like that. Then, ultimately, when the time is right, the chance will come.
“It was massive being in the same room as the Springboks. The build-up to the camp (was massive) too. The guys were saying you are going to be with everyone.”
According to Du Plessis, he just took everything in over the two days of the camp. He says it was an invaluable experience to be in the presence of rugby players who have achieved the great heights that he aspires to reach.
It was a box ticked for the loose forward as he returns to the Lions primed to play a bigger role for the franchise as they aim to reach the knockouts of the URC for the first time. They are currently in the top eight with the run-in to the playoffs starting next Saturday.
“The goal was to reach an alignment camp and to spend time in the presence of senior national players. I had dinner with guys like Andre Esterhuizen and Siya Kolisi and had conversations about how they see life.
“Ultimately it will help me.
What a special occasion ✨
Congratulations to all the winners, heres to a successfull 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣🥂#Springboks #Womenboks #Blitsboks #Juniorboks #CurrieCup pic.twitter.com/Ax1vqYGtPR
— Springboks (@Springboks) March 14, 2025
“I want to thank my God for my talent and for receiving this award. But we haven’t achieved anything yet. Yes, this is recognition for last year’s season, so the award is really nice. But that won’t prolong my career this year or next year. It is about staying grounded and achieving something for the Lions in the URC too.
“The Currie Cup was a stepping stone, but the URC is the biggest stage where you can play before getting to an international level. So, I want to work with all the other Lions players to make the playoffs for the first time in the union’s history and take things from there.”
Renzo du Plessis and Ashlon Davids set the Carling #CurrieCup alight last year 🔥#SARugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/pjNouhSHUN
— The Carling Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) March 14, 2025
Although he has the likes of JC Pretorius and Jarrod Cairns ahead of him in the URC side, Du Plessis vowed to keep knocking on the door to get his shot.
He says putting in the hard work and not just sitting around and waiting for things to happen for him, will be a big driving factor.
“When my chance comes, I want to grab it.”
