Peter-Steph du Toit is once again taking on the role of captain of the Springboks team in the match against Wales, which is taking place in Durban. His leadership is particularly relevant given the team's past difficulties against Welsh players, which will likely serve as a lesson against complacency.
Du Toit has a long history with Wales: at the age of twenty-one, he debuted against Wales in Cardiff in 2013. At that time, the Boks won with a score of 24-17. However, in the same Cardiff in 2016, when he played as a lock, the team lost 27-13. This was followed by two more defeats: in Cardiff in 2017 and in Washington in 2018. The latter match was the first for the Boks under Rassie Erasmus and Du Toit's first match as captain.
After eight years, Du Toit is captaining the Springboks again in the game against Wales, and it is clear that he does not want to repeat past failures against tenacious Welsh players. Boks assistant coach Mzwandile Stik accompanied Du Toit through most of his ups and downs in the confrontation with Wales.
Mzwandile Stik noted how incredible events unfold, recalling the 2018 match in Washington when Peter-Steph was captain. Although that game ended in a loss, he emphasized how the situation has changed now. He also mentioned that Peter-Steph, who now has 98 matches for the Boks, has been twice named Player of the Year by World Rugby (in 2019 and 2014).
According to Stik, Du Toit doesn't need to say anything because the players know that he is ready to risk his body for his country; they have seen him get injured in his shoulders and knees, and follow him without hesitation.
During the press conference on Friday, Du Toit, who prefers to avoid talking about himself, focused on the young players integrating into the Boks system. Wusi Moyo (20) and Jaco Williams (21) will debut in the evening match.
Du Toit stated that many new people have joined the team this season. They came with an open mind and quickly adapted to the team's methods, systems, and playing style, as well as expectations. Most importantly, in his opinion, is seeing their enthusiasm and desire to learn and deliver results. They want to wear the jersey.
He added that the opportunity to play at Kings Park is an incredible honor and privilege, and he is confident that they will give everything they can. Among the newcomers is also 24-year-old backline player Paul de Villiers, who debuted against England and then enhanced his debut against Scotland.
Du Toit noted that Paul joined the squad as a young player with confidence after a great season with the Stormers. He brought good ideas and was not afraid to share them, providing valuable experience from the Stormers that could be used in the Boks. He also emphasized that Paul demonstrates one hundred percent commitment and a strong desire to play for the Springboks, fully embracing the team's philosophy, and is an outstanding athlete who ranked first in physical fitness tests.
The match during the Junior World Cup in Tbilisi on Monday evening was marred by an incident when England flanker Seb Kelly delivered a strong headbutt to Junior Springboks flanker Luan Gilieme. This episode forced England to play the match with fourteen players.
Tuesday became the day Seb Kelly was in the spotlight after his headbutt on Junior Springboks backfield player Luan Gilieme in the first half overshadowed Junior Springboks' triumphant victory over Junior England with a score of 53-37 in the U20 Rugby World Cup semi-final in Tbilisi, Georgia. Following intervention by the Television Match Official (TMO), Kelly received a straight red card for headbutting Gilieme during a non-contact collision, which forced England to play more than half of the tense match short-handed.
This incident quickly became the main topic of discussion after the game, drawing condemnation from former players, fans, and parts of the international media community, who described the act as 'shameful,' 'disgusting,' and 'stupid.' It is expected that this case will be thoroughly investigated by the World Rugby disciplinary committee.
The disqualification became a decisive moment in the game. Despite the numerical advantage of the opponent, England managed to take the lead with a score of 20-12 at halftime. However, the Junior Springboks ultimately outplayed the team with brilliant play in the second half, securing their second consecutive participation in the main world tournament.
Meanwhile, Junior Springboks coach Kevin Fouet declined to comment on the scandal surrounding Kelly. Instead, he highly praised the maturity of his players, who managed to overcome an eight-point deficit. Fouet noted that in the first half, the team should have controlled the ball better and maintained constant pressure on England. He added that while England demonstrated expected fighting spirit, the conditions were not always suitable for their preferred style of play, but he was most pleased with the players' maturity in the second half.
Fouet emphasized the huge contribution of his five starters and substitutes, who once again formed the basis of the big win. He noted that the forwards worked very hard from the start of the group stage, and despite it being the fourth game in three weeks, their ability to keep moving and exerting effort is impressive. The coach also praised the impact of the bench, highlighting the importance of the entire squad. He noted that the talented squad has great depth, and players awaiting their chance have a significant impact when they enter the field.
As of the publication, England had not made public comments regarding Kelly's disqualification. Now, the Junior Springboks will focus on the final on Saturday against the reigning Six Nations champion, France, at the Michael Meski Stadium in Tbilisi. Fouet intends to keep the team's focus on the historic chance to win the title two years in a row. Earlier that same day, France defeated New Zealand 26-22 in the first semi-final, determining the matchup for the upcoming Saturday match. Fouet concluded that France performed brilliantly, showing immense spirit in the battle against New Zealand, and acknowledged that as Six Nations champions, they present a serious challenge.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, one of the greatest players in Springboks history, is approaching a century of caps for the national team, and this recognition is thoroughly deserved. He is a two-time World Rugby Player of the Year award winner.
When young du Toit arrived in Durban in 2012 from a rural school in the Western Cape, Sharks coach John Plamtree noted his unusual physical build, stating that they had to change sports equipment because of his hands, which were 'like tin lids.' The New Zealander also predicted that the quiet young man would turn out to be special due to his strength.
Du Toit's strength is largely linked to his grandfather, Pierre 'Spier' du Toit, who played for the Springboks as a loosehead prop from 1958 to 1961. In 2013, when du Toit spoke about his grandfather, he recalled how he used to play with him as a child, despite the fact that he passed away in 1996 at the age of 60 after a marathon.
Du Toit emphasized that he grew up with a sense of destiny and the value of his heritage, feeling responsible for the family name. This family phenomenon is not new: shortly after the first du Toits arrived in South Africa in the 1690s as Huguenot refugees from France, a tradition arose of naming the eldest son Pieter-Steph du Toit. Since the 1820s, eight generations of Pieter-Stephs have been involved in winemaking in Boland.
The family farm, known as Kloovenburg Wine and Olive Estate, is located in Ribik Castle, in the heart of the Western Cape, near Cape Town. Pieter-Steph's father is a winemaker, and his mother is involved in olive cultivation and oil production. In 2013, the young du Toit mentioned that he would like to complete his grandfather's collection of old boots, feeling that he was following in his footsteps.
Six months after that interview, on November 9, 2013, Pieter-Steph made his debut for South Africa against Wales in Cardiff, in a match that the Boks won 24-15. He stated that the farm is very important to him, and that he plans to return to the farm after his career ends.
His desire to engage in farming was interrupted by a series of serious injuries. In 2019, six months before the World Cup in Japan, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, leading doctors to deem his World Cup dream hopeless. However, his father, Pieter du Toit, proposed an unconventional solution: using a piece of his own tendon to strengthen his son's knee. After this surgery, seven months later, the Springboks won the World Cup, and Pieter-Steph was named Tournament Player and World Rugby Player of the Year 2019.
His subsequent career was marred by another severe injury. In 2020, while playing for the Stormers, he sustained a thigh blow that led to acute compartment syndrome. His leg doubled in size, and the surgeon warned the 27-year-old athlete of a 50-50 chance of amputation. Following a 41-centimeter incision and two weeks of open wound care, he lost 10 kg, and his leg halved in size. Du Toit spent 14 months rehabilitating at the family farm before matches against the British and Irish Lions in July 2021.
Upon his return, he added his Bok jerseys to the collection in the wine cellar with tears in his eyes. Pieter du Toit noted that although it was difficult for his son, it gave him a very strong spirit. He concluded: 'The du Toits are all fighters. We do not give up. We never gave up, and we never will.'
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