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Petrus du Plessis says he changed his mind about “eight times” as to whether to continue as the Wallabies’ scrum coach but admits a sense of loyalty towards axed coach Dave Rennie and a desire to start his own “scrum school” contributed to his decision to step away ahead of the World Cup.
Just weeks after Du Plessis became an Australian citizen, the South African-born prop, who spent a decade playing in England and Scotland, handed in his resignation to Rugby Australia manager Chris Webb.
It came weeks after Eddie Jones was sensationally parachuted into the Wallabies’ top job, as Rennie, who hired du Plessis after working alongside him at Glasgow Warriors as a player-coach, was brutally punted.
The decision rocked all sides of Australian rugby, including du Plessis, who had worked alongside Rennie during the Wallabies’ first training camp of the year in January.
Had Rennie continued in the job, du Plessis would most likely have continued through to the World Cup. He didn’t, and it made the former prop reconsider his future.
“I don’t think Eddie had a different vision to me,” du Plessis told The Roar in his first interview since stepping away from the Wallabies.
“For me, it was probably, the right time.
“I was like, ‘OK, there were changes in the coaches and I feel disappointed that Dave Rennie wasn’t given the chance to see the World Cup through,’ but that’s higher up the ladder who made those decisions.
“I just felt with the changes in coaches, I was happy for Eddie to build his own team. It was all amicable. There was no ill-feeling against Rugby Australia.”
Petrus du Plessis and Dan McKellar resigned from their Wallabies coaching posts after Eddie Jones’ appointment. Photo: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
After Scott Wisemantel’s decision to step away at the start of the season, du Plessis and forwards coach Dan McKellar met with Jones soon after his return in early February.
There, at Rugby Australia’s offices in Moore Park, expectations were mapped out by Jones.
“Eddie was quite accommodating,” du Plessis said. “He had a lot of things to say around what he wants from his coaches.
“I could have stayed with the Wallabies if I wanted to, and Eddie would have accommodated me probably up to a point where he could have made a decision. But at the end of the day, I met up with him and it was great meeting him and he’s very structured in what he wanted.”
Du Plessis knew what he was walking into.
For years he packed down alongside a number of Jones’ regulars in the England squad, with tight-five stars Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Maro Itoje and George Kruis each playing at Saracens.
“I’ve met Eddie a fair few times,” he said.
“I met him for the first time when I played for the World XV against Japan. I sat next to Maro for 6-7 years at Sarries and when Maro broke through to the England team it was funny the stories that came back.
“Eddie is Eddie. It’s well documented what he’s like as a coach and what he’s like as a person. He’s got such a big drive to win and be competitive, he will obviously put a lot of pressure on his players and his staff. That’s what head coaches tend to do.
“He probably didn’t pop in as much as you would expect at Sarries because there was a dozen clubs. He’s a good coach, he’ll do pretty well, I reckon.”
In his place has stepped Neal Hatley, who was Jones’ scrum coach at the last World Cup.
Neal Hatley will be the Wallabies’ scrum coach under Eddie Jones. Photo: Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images
Funnily enough, the duo met up late last year when the Wallabies played Wales in Cardiff and Hatley was across the Bristol Channel at Bath.
“We’ve gone through each other’s philosophies,” he said. “It’s very similar. We’ve always been on the same hymn sheet when it comes to scrum. I’m pretty sure he will do a good job.”
Knowing the expectations of working alongside Jones, du Plessis’ physiotherapy career was also in the back of his mind.
If he didn’t dedicate time to it, he would lose his licence.
Coupled with Rennie’s departure, it made his decision easier to step away and prioritise his other itch: developing a scrum school in Australia.
“I also wanted to rediscover my physio profession and take it further with educating and mentoring props,” he said.
Petrus du Plessis has opened up on his decision to walk away from the Wallabies. Photo: Rugby Australia/Stu Walmsley
While Du Plessis believes the Wallabies’ scrum could be “formidable” and “frightening” at the World Cup if they can get on the field, he says Australia is at a distinct disadvantage on the international stage because of the lack of attention shown to developing front-rowers and, indeed, a tight-five pack mentality.
“I’m renovating a clinic and that’s going really well and I’m going to get back into physiotherapy, but a side of that would be to spend a lot of time with front-rowers and actually train them properly because I think that’s lacking in Australia,” he said.
“Coming back to strength conditioning coaches across the Super Rugby, they are outstanding at their job, however that little niche where you train front-rowers to become front-rowers is slightly different to how you would train rugby players in general.”
He points to last year’s second Test against Los Pumas in Australia where the Wallabies’ fielded one of their least experienced front-row benches, with only a single cap between Matt Gibbon, Billy Pollard and Pone Fa’amausili.
Nor did they have years of experience behind them at provincial level either, with Pollard just 20-years-old and Fa’amuasili switch from league to union plagued by injury.
Petrus du Plessis believes’ the Wallabies’ scrum could be “frightening” with Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell coming off the bench. Photo: Getty Images
That extends to the second-row, too, with the Brumbies’ developing locks mere baby giraffes compared the All Blacks’ formidable lock pairing with more than a decade of international experience.
It’s why the former prop believes he can make a huge contribution to Australian rugby even if he’s not with the Wallabies.
“You look at who’s under those starters, they still had a lot to learn,” du Plessis said.
“I have had so many phone calls since I’ve posted what I’m doing because no one really knew what I was doing. That was the dream to put something together.
“I’ve had so many phone calls from dads and mums saying, my son is an aspiring tight-head, loose-head, hooker, lock, whatever, how can we get it better?
“My aim is to stay in Australia for the time being, but I want to make a difference in young players, I want to be someone who could breed Australian props.
“My last sentence in my resignation letter was, ‘It was a very difficult decision but I wish them all the best and I’ll always be a fan.’”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.