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Back in 2012, Herman le Roux, Hoërskool Hartbeespoort's principal, felt so strongly Dricus du Plessis deserved a reward in his honour he instituted the school's Phoenix Award.
To him, the mythology of the immortal bird that regenerates cyclically - to the normal eye the bird that always rises from the ashes - was the perfect illustration of one of his star pupils' journey after commencing his high school education at the picturesque institution.
Du Plessis, arguably the most talked-about individual in South Africa this week after memorably clinching the UFC middleweight title in Toronto last weekend, masterminded a personal transformation so startling Le Roux believed it would be an injustice not to proclaim it in some form.
