Many have bemoaned the fact the hooker's sending-off ruined what was shaping as a magnificent test between the All Blacks and the Springboks at Eden Park.
This is an interesting approach. It effectively green-lights a rugby referee to make his calls based on what is good for the viewers, not necessarily on what has actually happened in front of him.
Others argue what du Plessis did was not sufficiently foul to warrant one yellow card, let alone two. Indeed, the International Rugby Board said his first indiscretion, the tackle on Dan Carter, should not have led to a yellow.
My opinion? I thought the Carter tackle was borderline.
The relevant section of the IRB laws (10.4(g) for the trainspotters) says a player ''must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without trying to grasp that player''.
Du Plessis was ''trying to grasp'' Carter? No. At the point of contact, one of his arms was almost by his side; the other was in a sort of half-grasp.
The Springbok's second transgression was cut and dried. He led with his elbow, and connected with Liam Messam's throat. Those who argue a lack of intent are way off beam. Intent is not an excuse.
. . . under attack
What has really been exposed (again) is a thriving culture of referee blame, shame and oh-dear-they-are-ruining-the-game.
The reaction to Romain Poite's decisions, particularly on social media, made me glad I joined only a moderately hated profession - journalism - and did not pursue a career in a role that receives more criticism than an episode of New Zealand's Got Talent.
It was interesting, if coincidental, that the Poite furore erupted in the same week the New Zealand Rugby Union came down astonishingly softly on Tana Umaga.
The Counties-Manukau coach was effectively let off despite abusing an official and, in a blatant act of intimidation, following a whistle-blower into the referees' room.
That sort of inaction by the NZRU does nothing but help foster an unpleasant, unhealthy culture of official opprobrium.
We really are brutally tough on rugby referees, who have an incredibly difficult job.
They have to make split-second judgement calls, under an intense spotlight driven by new technology. And, at the elite level, they are coping with athletes who are bigger, stronger and faster than ever.
Casual dismissal of a referee's ability flows down to the grass roots, too. And it will not have escaped anyone's notice that junior rugby produces far too many incidents of referee abuse.
''Awww, ref'' has been a part of rugby since the Deans non-try, and it is reasonable to expect a decent level of competency at the top level. But we must be wary about escalating the intensity of our referee judgements. The sport cannot survive without the man in the middle.
The Don
The Last Word is an avowed fan of halls of fame and unique awards, and it was interesting this week to read how Australia dishes out one of its honours.
Australian sport has, of course, basically imploded. But there is still the odd contender for The Don, the award presented at an annual function to the Strine athlete who ''most inspired'' Straya.
Lovely name, referring to the late and incomparably great Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest cricketer in that country's, or any country's, cricketing history.
New Zealand, which loves a good Halberg Award saga, has an equivalent (sort of), but the people's choice award feels a bit forced, more like a marketing ploy than a sports honour.
Might be an idea for the folks at the Halbergs to blatantly copy the Australians, giving us an opportunity to avoid some of the hassle when yet another rowing crew takes the top gong, and the moment that really inspired us goes unrewarded.
Early front-runners for The Pinetree, anyone?
The magic of 59
Of all of sport's great numbers, there remains something utterly bewitching about 59.
That is the gold standard for elite golfers. Those who break 60 are those who dance with immortality.
Jim Furyk became just the sixth man to post 59 on the PGA Tour last weekend. The others were Al Geiberger (1977), Chip Beck (1991), David Duval (1999), Paul Goydos (2010) and Stuart Appleby (2010).
Interestingly, Furyk joined another, even more exclusive, club. He became the third player (Beck was the first, Goydos the second) to shoot 59 and LOSE a tournament.
But wait, there's more. Golf nut Dave Cannan informs me Furyk established the inaugural club of golfers who posted a 59 that included a bogey.
Further research threw up some more interesting goodies:Gary Player posted the first official 59 in a professional event at the 1974 Brazil Open.
Phil Mickelson shot 59 at the Grand Slam of Golf (not technically a tour event) in 2004.
Annika Sorenstam was the first woman to shoot 59 on the LPGA in 2001.
The lowest recognised rounds in professional golf are the 58s shot by Shigeki Maruyama at a US Open qualifier in 2000 and Ryo Ishikawa on the Japan Tour in 2010.
South African golfer Louis Oosthuizen shot 57 on his home course (Mossel Bay) in 2002.
Hayden Meikle posted a 56 at Augusta in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13.
Green with envy
Continuing the golf theme, Reuters reports a rather special item went under the hammer this week.
The green jacket that belonged to Horton Smith, winner of the first Masters in 1934, fetched nearly US$700,000 at auction.
Green Jacket Auctions, which handled the sale, said that made it the most expensive piece of golf memorabilia ever sold.
Smith, who also won the Masters in 1936, wasn't given the green jacket for his inaugural win until 1949, when the tournament's great tradition was born.
Shield fever (delayed)
Otago Daily Times sports reporter Alistair McMurran missed out on all the Ranfurly Shield excitement.
Alistair, one of the great travellers, was roaming around Africa at the time and had absolutely no idea Otago had broken its 56-year drought.
Upon his return, he eagerly bought a copy of the newspaper, only to read with dismay that Counties-Manukau was celebrating its hold on the Log o' Wood.
It was not until Alistair cleared his home emails that he discovered Otago had won - and lost - the shield while he was out of town.
Seahawks roar
NFL fans in Seattle set a world record on Monday, The Guardian reports.
Supporters at the game between the home-town Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers combined to produce the loudest roar - 136.6 decibels - heard inside a sports stadium.
The previous high mark, set by supporters of Turkish football club Galatasaray in 2011, stood at 131.76 decibels.
Such passionate support obviously works. The Seahawks, who have not lost a home game in two years, crushed the 49ers 29-3.
Birthday of the week
West Indian cricketer Curtly Ambrose is 50 today.
The big fast bowler, born in a place called Swetes, might actually be under-rated. He took 405 test wickets at the magnificent average of 20.99.
