Zululand wrecking ball on the way up

THERE’S a Zulu on the Loftus Versfeld stoep – and he is busy causing trouble on the rugby field.

Only 20 years of age, Pongola-born man mountain Jacques du Plessis is a youngster on a mission.

Relatively unknown until recently, the two-metre tall flanker throws his 119kg frame around for the Bulls in the Super Rugby cauldron and is fast raising eyebrows among rugby pundits.

The Sharks will no doubt regret that they missed spotting his talents and signing him up.

He drove the point home in Saturday’s crucial clash between the Bulls and the Sharks when he split the Surf City defence – including the attention of iron man namesake Bismarck – like Moses parted the Red Sea to crash over for the try that turned matters around for the Blue squad.

Although still in a learning phase, he is clearly a man for the future. South African rugby is in a healthy state with men like him, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Eben Etzebeth in the ranks.

Born on 12 August 1993 as Willem Hendrick Jacques du Plessis Pongola, rugby was in his his blood right from the start..

After representing the Sharks in the 2006 U13 Craven Week, he moved to Ermelo and attended Ermelo High School.

He represented the Pumas at the 2009 U16 Grant Khomo Week and the 2011 U18 Craven Week tournaments.

His performance in the latter tournament lead to his selection for the 2011 South African Schools squad.

In 2012, he joined the Blue Bulls and made 12 appearances for their U21 team, being promoted to the senior squad last year, starting in the 110–0 thrashing of the Limpopo Blue Bulls.

He also made his presence felt in the SA U20 side during the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship.

In July his contract with the Bulls was extended to October 2015.

He made his debut for the Bulls in July last year in a Super Rugby match against the Stormers.