Special Du Toit was always destined for Springbok greatness
WHEN Pieter-Steph du Toit arrived in Durban in 2012, straight out of a rural school in the Swartland, the Sharks coach John Plumtree revealed an interesting fact about the quiet giant.
“Watch out for this guy… We have had to alter some of the gym equipment for him,” Plumtree said. “The bars are too small for his hands and he’s getting blisters on his thumbs. He has hands like hubcaps.”
The New Zealander added prophetically: “This youngster is strong and he is silent — they tend to be special.”
Plumtree could not have been more spectacularly right. On Sunday night, Du Toit won his second World Player of the Year Award — he won it in 2019 — to add to his two World Cup winners’ medals.
What makes the 32-year-old’s feats so special is that it is a medical miracle that he plays the game. He suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury six months before the 2019 World Cup in Japan. This severe setback came soon after he had recovered from a similar injury in 2018.
Doctors told him the situation was hopeless. But research revealed that a surgeon in the USA had successfully patched up a knee with a body part from a close member of the patient’s family.
To cut a remarkable story short, Pieter-Steph’s knee is bound together with a part of his father’s hamstring and he has risen to the status of best rugby player in the world because of that familial generosity.
Du Toit’s grandfather, Piet “Spiere” du Toit was a 1960s Springbok prop and his grandson has spoken of the “sense of destiny” that drives him.
It explains why he is a gentle soul off the pitch but a human wrecking ball on it. He is relentless, a wild beast relentlessly hunting down the opposition.
Du Toit’s Award places him alongside All Black Beauden Barrett as a two-time winner and few will bet against Pieter-Steph one day drawing level with legends Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, the only three-time winners.
He deserves to be regarded in the class of those great New Zealanders and he could well be remembered as the best blindside flank the game has seen. Thank heavens Heyneke Meyer moved him from lock to flank in 2015.
A hallmark of Du Toit’s performances is that he never has an off day. He is incredibly consistent. His love of the Springbok jersey won’t allow him to drop his standards.
In Monaco, Du Toit was up against Ireland’s Caelan Doris, as well as Springbok teammates Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe.
It says plenty about how highly Du Toit is regarded that there has been no objections at him beating greats of the game in Etzebeth and Kolbe.
Du Toit, who has 86 Test caps, was humility personified after receiving the award.
“We have a saying in the Springbok team, ‘We don’t count our days, we make our days count,” he said. “You put your ego in your pocket. If the team eats, every individual eats.”
Du Toit will enjoy a rest from the game although not in the circumstances he would choose. He has been carrying a shoulder niggle for some time and is seeing a specialist tomorrow to discuss possible surgery.
“I give my best for the Springbok jersey and every other jersey I play in because you never know when it is your last game.”
It was a glorious night for the Boks, who provided almost half of the prestigious Dream Team. Du Toit was joined by fellow forwards Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, and Etzebeth, while Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, and Damian de Allende were picked in the backline.
Du Toit concluded with praise for his teammates.
“Just to be in this Springbok team is a privilege. The records Eben has broken and the special talent Cheslin has, to change a game, makes it a huge honour to be here.”