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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.
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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.
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“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.”
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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.”
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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
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments