Rugby legend Jannie du Plessis’ one-year-old son drowns in pool

Rugby legend Jannie du Plessis’ one-year-old son drowned in a pool as the South African World Cup winner celebrated his 39th birthday yesterday. 

The tragedy happened just two days after the child was christened on Sunday, a friend of the family revealed. 

Du Plessis and his wife Ronel have two other children, daughters Rosalie and Hele, and are believed to live on his childhood farm outside Bethlehem in northern South Africa after moving back there from Johannesburg during the pandemic. 

It is not yet clear where the tragedy unfolded and the circumstances of the drowning have not yet been revealed. 

Former Springbok player Albert ‘Toks’ van der Linde tweeted a picture of du Plessis with his wife Ronel and late son and said: ‘Please pray for Jannie du Plessis and his family. His son of one year old drowned last night, my heart is broken broken broken. So so sad.’ 

Du Plessis played 70 Test matches for the Springboks until 2015, and was part of South Africa’s World Cup winning side in 2007.  

Former player Toks van der Linde announced the news on Twitter with a picture of Jannie du Plessis with his wife Ronel and late son

Jannie du Plessis was capped 70 times for South Africa and was part of the 2007 World Cup winning squad (pictured left with the trophy)

Former Springbok Rudolf Straeuli told Sport24: ‘We, as a Lions family, aren’t doing well. I can confirm that this tragedy took place. We are all devastated.’

He later added: ‘As I’m sure everyone can understand, Jannie and his family now need to be left alone to process this tragedy. 

‘We offer our full support to him and kindly request everyone to keep them in their thoughts and prayers.’  

Du Plessis’ former club the Sharks also sent their ‘deepest condolences to Jannie, Ronel and the entire du Plessis family on the tragic loss of his young son.’  

A spokesperson for the club said: ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.’

Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira, who played with Du Plessis in the victorious 2007 Rugby World Cup squad, quoted a tweet from the Sharks franchise, expressing his grief over the incident. 

Jannie and Ronel du Plessis have have two other children, daughters Rosalie (right) and Hele (left)

Du Plessis’ family are believed to live on his childhood farm outside Bethlehem (pictured) in northern South Africa after moving back there from Johannesburg during the pandemic

Speaking last year about life on Stirling, the Bethlehem farm where he grew up, du Plessis said his childhood was ‘isolated’ but ‘care-free’.

‘I remember the cold winters and the moderate summers. Farm life has its own charm,’ he told Food For Mzansi. The family have cattle and sheep and grow sugar beans and maize. 

The tighthead prop, a qualified doctor, played in the 2007 World Cup campaign alongside younger brother Bismarck. Du Plessis moved to moved to Gauteng to join the Lions last year following a five-year stint with French club Montpellier. 

His father, Francois, played for the local club and encouraged the boys to get involved with the sport. ‘If we behaved, we could go attend his [team] practice sessions on a Tuesday and Thursday night.’ 

But du Plessis has said studying always came first for the family and he qualified as a doctor from the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, despite being offered a contract from the Pumas Rugby Union in 2003.

Du Plessis (pictured playing against England in November 2008) was part of South Africa’s 2007 Rugby World Cup winning squad alongside younger brother Bismarck