Bismarck du Plessis (Twitter/@MHR_officiel)
- While stating he’s happy in France, Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis admits he’d like to play for the Cheetahs again some day.
- Du Plessis played for the Cheetahs in 2003 but says he’d like to play alongside former team-mates Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn again.
- The 79-Test veteran has been on Montpellier’s books since 2015.
Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis has admitted that he would like to represent the Cheetahs again in future.
The 36-year-old has plied his trade at French club Montpellier since 2015, but in an interview with OFM Sport, shared his admiration for the Cheetahs.
Du Plessis was schooled at Grey College in Bloemfontein and played a couple of games for the Free State Cheetahs in 2003. He moved to the Sharks in 2005 where he made a name for himself, becoming a Springbok in 2007 and going on to play 79 Tests.
Du Plessis says the Covid-19 pandemic has changed “a lot of plans in the business and rugby worlds” and it’s made him reminisce of his days at the Cheetahs.
“I played my first game for them in 2003, when Rassie Erasmus still played for them. So, a person never knows what might happen, but at this stage, we are still happy here (in France),” he said.
Springboks Frans Steyn and Ruan Pienaar were team-mates of Du Plessis at Montpellier, but recently returned to the Cheetahs.
Du Plessis added that he wished to play “at least one game” with Pienaar and Steyn again.
“I will give anything to pull the ‘Blikore’ jersey over my head again and to hear the Cheetahs song and the Harley Davidsons roaring. I would return to the Free State any day.”
Cheetahs in the firing line?
Meanwhile, the Cheetahs’ future as a franchise appears uncertain at this stage.
This comes after SA Rugby revealed plans include four franchises in an expanded PRO16. While the four teams to enter the event are yet to be determined, it looks likely to be the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, with the Cheetahs and Kings out in the cold.
There are also plans to reduce the number of franchises playing in events from six to four, but the Cheetahs have indicated that they would be willing to go to court to protect their franchise status.
A high-placed source at the Cheetahs told Sport24 last week that they were legally contracted with SA Rugby to play in the PRO14 until 2023.
“As far as the Cheetahs are concerned, we have a binding contract which cannot be breached for whatever reason without legal consequences,” the source said.
– Compiled by Sport24 staff
