Du Plessis thanks Conrad Smith for his support
The clout of Wayne Smith has given test rookies such as South African-born Southlander Amy du Plessis the chance to be mentored by legendary All Blacks centre Conrad Smith.
While other All Blacks greats, such as playmaker Dan Carter and iconic hooker Keven Mealamu, have attended Black Ferns training in Auckland this week, Canterbury centre du Plessis has been given the opportunity to work with Smith ahead of making her test debut against Canada tomorrow.
Du Plessis, whose family moved to Invercargill from South Africa when she was seven because of her grandfather’s dairy farm in Lumsden, went to the Black Ferns coaches, seeking a mentor before she tries to crack the squad for this year’s women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
New Black Ferns coaching boss Wayne Smith recommended Conrad, who played 94 tests in the men’s game and won two World Cups in 2011 and 2015.
‘‘I’ve got the huge privilege of Conrad helping me out. I actually spoke to him today with a bit of preview work,’’ du Plessis said yesterday. ‘‘He also said he would help review my games. I’m so lucky and really privileged to have him help me.’’
Wayne Smith has also welcomed Carter and Mealamu into their camp to spend time with the kickers and hookers respectively. It’s becoming a who’s who of Smith’s old All Blacks contacts – players and coaches – with Sir Graham Henry also with the Black Ferns in a coaching support role.
‘‘We’re also getting great support from guys I’ve coached,’’ Smith said.
As for du Plessis, the 22-year-old from Southland Girls’ High School whose family hail from Newcastle in the South African province KwaZulu-Natal, she has been on the national radar for a while.
She played twice for the Black Ferns against the New Zealand
Barbarians in 2020 and gets her first test chance against Canada in the Pacific Four Series, as does debutant Sylvia Brunt, an 18-yearold outside back from Auckland.
With a surname synonymous with South African rugby, the whole family will indeed be travelling up to Auckland from the deep south. They have supported every step of her rugby journey.
‘‘My heart just dropped. It’s an absolute privilege and something I’ve been working at for a long time,’’ du Plessis said. ‘‘I love New Zealand. It’s home now.’’
Du Plessis left Invercargill for Christchurch last year to play for Canterbury, the Farah Palmer Cup champions between 2017 and 2020, after starting with Otago.
That move appears to have paid off. She was awarded a professional contract for this season.
‘‘I was travelling [to Dunedin] each week, twice a week, for training. It was a two-and-a-half hour drive there and back,’’ she said, admitting she lost a bit of love for the game because of the arduous travel.
‘‘It was really taxing and to represent the Black Ferns, I needed to do more. Travelling like that, I couldn’t recover properly.
‘‘I wanted to move to a place where I could really strive to become a Black Fern and Canterbury was somewhere I really wanted to go. I love it, the rugby is amazing, and it was a change in lifestyle for me and my partner who is there as a builder.’’
Du Plessis lines up alongside captain Ruahei Demant in the midfield, who Smith said was outstanding at first and second fiveeighth in Monday’s 23-10 win over Australia.
The coach said du Plessis would complement Demant well, with her good communication and an ability to puncture through defensive lines. ‘‘Amy brings real fitness and grit. In training and in games, her GPS measurements are the highest. She runs the furthest.
‘‘They’re all getting their opportunity. They’ve just got to take it.’’