'C'mon Pone': Inside the 'micro chats' with Eddie that have turned discard into RWC wrecking ball must

Lost and looking to rediscover his love of rugby, it was less than a month ago that Pone Fa’amausili was running around the Melbourne club rugby scene.

But it wasn’t up front like you might expect.

No, the 196cm, 130kg wrecking ball was strutting his stuff in the back-row for Moorabbin in Melbourne’s Dewar Shield.

After being left out of Eddie Jones’ squad for the Wallabies’ Rugby Championship opener against the Springboks, Fa’amausili wanted to let rip.

“I was playing number eight for my local club in Melbourne,” he said.

“It’s just a bit of fun to find the love for the game again. Obviously, I got dropped, I didn’t make the squad to go to South Africa. But I’ve found a bit through playing with some good mates and enjoying a bit of club footy.”

Pone Fa’amausili was used largely off the bench for the Rebels. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

While he was called up to face the Pumas in Sydney two weeks later, the 26-year-old’s season changed late last month when Allan Alaalatoa suffered a season-ending Achilles injury at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Then, Fa’amausili went from bench prospect to starter after Taniela Tupou suffered a rib injury soon after on the same MCG deck.

It put the focus squarely on the gigantic prop who has long intrigued but never quite got tails wagging.

On Saturday, Fa’amausili, whose performance was far from complete, took a huge step in not just convincing Eddie Jones he can rely on him but himself too after putting in a huge shift in the No.3 jersey.

“You never wish upon your best mates or teammates to get injured with Al last week, but obviously got the start with Nella going down as well during the week,” Fa’amausili said following his first Test start.

“I guess I had to step up, so I took it with both hands and really dialed into my prep this week and had a lot of boys put the faith in me during the weekend and get around me.

“I was really keen this weekend to get on and work hard for the boys because obviously some people thought that I didn’t have it in me with (my lack of) minutes with the Rebels. I’ve been coming off the bench, so I was really stoked to get the start and obviously pay those minutes that I did today.”

Pone Fa’amausili showed he can play a big role for the Wallabies at this year’s World Cup after a promising starting performance against the All Blacks at Forsyth Barr Stadium on August 05, 2023. (Photo by Peter Meecham/Getty Images)

Fa’amausili was one of the many forwards that rolled up his sleeves in the Wallabies’ blistering start against the All Blacks.

While they were eventually run down, their 17-3 half-time lead came in large part because of their gain-line dominance that Fa’amausili, Angus Bell, Tom Hooper and Rob Valetini provided.

Even at the scrum, Fa’amausili and his front-row partners managed to get the hit on the All Blacks early on.

Eventually the tide turned, as injuries and fitness, as well as the All Blacks’ change in tactics to go through the middle, caught up with the Wallabies.

But Fa’amausili’s performance would have given confidence in Jones that he has another tight-head capable of playing big minutes alongside Tupou at next month’s World Cup despite fading in the second half.

Props Angus Bell and Pone Fa’amausili have a big role to play at this year’s World Cup. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Fa’amausili said Jones, who left the tight-head out of his initial squad just as Dave Rennie had done to start the year, had played a pivotal role in developing his mindset.

Indeed, “C’mon Pone” has been regularly heard at training sessions over the past two months.

“I think Eddie’s been massive for me, hey,” Fa’amausili said.

“Everyone knows that Eddie gets stuck into me on the field in training. He’s always giving me chats.

“He’s just one of the best for me. I don’t know where the chats come from, but he’s just pushing me to my limit and he just really wants to see me change my mindset.

“I feel like I’ve always had it. It’s just the mindset. I’ve put it into training, trialling it in training with a mindset shift and I put it onto the paddock.

“Little micro chats on the field have helped me. He obviously was not in my ear on the field, but the boys got around me because I’ve let them know as well that when I’m fatigued I need this and that. That’s passed down now.

“I’m really happy with how I played, but there’s room for improvement and I’m obviously hoping I’m in the squad come the next five days to go to the World Cup, but I’ll be putting my hand up for that three jersey.”

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has played a pivotal role in turning Pone Fa’amausili’s season around. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Teammate Matt Faessler, who had a strong outing on debut after being a late call-up for Jordan Uelese, said Jones’ impact had been felt across the entire team.

“I felt it on myself as well,” Faessler said.

“He’s huge on accountability and there’s a lot of honest conversations that the coaches have with players and players have with players.

“A lot of that’s around developing good habits and winning habits. So particularly on the training pitch, everyone, coaches and players, holding each other accountable to the standards that we set for each other whether they’re small things or bigger picture things.”