3-time Premiership winner du Plessis moving to PRO14
Three-time Premiership and two-time Champions Cup winner Petrus du Plessis is leaving London Irish.
The South African spent a hugely successful seven-year spell with Saracens playing 158 times, moving to Irish in 2017. Du Plessis was a regular for London Irish during the 2017/18 Premiership season, which ended in relegation.
London Irish are third in the Greene King IPA Championship table, having won all five matches so far including a 54-17 win over London Scottish last weekend, but du Plessis will not be sticking around to aid their promotion challenge under Declan Kidney and Les Kiss.
The 37-year-old tighthead is joining PRO14 side Glasgow Warriors.
Du Plessis signature would be a welcome boost for the Scottish club who have lost their Scottish international Zander Ferguson to injury. Ferguson fractured his leg playing for the Warriors against the Cheetahs on September 15th. Ferguson’s injury has ruled him out until at least 2019.
Thanks for all the messages last night.Tough game against a physical Cheetah side and stoked for the lads to get the win.Unfortunately I picked up a knock so I’ll be sidelined for a while but I’ll bounce back.Massive thanks to all the medical staff who helped yesterday?? ???
— Zander Fagerson (@ZanderFagerson) September 17, 2018
122kg Du Plessis has also had spells at Nottingham and Sedgley Park.
Having played 31 Champions Cup matches during an illustrious career, he goes straight into the Warriors Heineken Champions Cup squad ahead of Sunday’s opening game against his former side, Saracens at Scotstoun.
?? NEW SIGNING ??
Petrus du Plessis has joined the club from @LiRFC on a deal until the end of the season.
The South African tight-head prop played for @Saracens 158 times and has won the @ChampionsCup twice and English Premiership three times.#WelcomePetrus pic.twitter.com/qwRAKMXbGf
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) October 9, 2018
Speaking to Glasgow Warriors TV, Petrus du Plessis, said: “I’m very happy to be at Glasgow Warriors, this is a great club.
“It all happened very quickly – within three days I’m here, so I’m very excited to play in the Heineken Champions Cup and Guinness PRO14 this season.
“It’s exciting that my first game could be against my former club Saracens – you couldn’t write the script if you tried!
“I’ve heard the matchday experience at Scotstoun is fantastic, the crowd really gets behind the team, they’re vocal and they’re loud.
“Glasgow Warriors play a really expansive and physical game, which is great and I’ve only heard good things about the club from former players.”
Glasgow Warriors Head Coach, Dave Rennie added: “It’s great that we’ve been able to obtain someone of Petrus’ experience at such short notice.
“He has played rugby at the highest level, is a good man and a really solid set piece operator.
“With Zander (Fagerson) and Siua (Halanukonuka) injured he brings some much needed depth at tight-head.”
Continue reading below…
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London Irish Director of rugby Declan Kidney thanked Du Plessis for his contributions to the club.
“Petrus has been a good person to have in the squad, both on and off the pitch, and he leaves with our good wishes,” he said. “Because we have no A League fixtures the opportunities for game time are limited, which is why we have agreed to release him at this stage of his career.
“We believe we still have enough quality tight-head props in the squad such as Ollie Hoskins, Pat Cilliers, Manasa Saulo and Lovejoy Chawatama, and will be able to give opportunities for younger players, too.”
“I’ve enjoyed my time at London Irish and know that the club is in good hands,” said Du Plessis. “I’d like to thank the squad, coaches, staff and supporters for how they made me feel welcome at Hazelwood, and while I’m looking forward to the new challenge at Glasgow I’ll remember my time at London Irish as a fantastic experience. I’d like to wish the club all the best for the future.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments