Thomas du Toit is heading back to the Shark Tank this June, and he’s bringing some serious momentum with him. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
The Sharks are not having the best of seasons, but their supporters can take solace in the fact that Thomas du Toit will be back at Kings Park in June and is in the best form of his life.
Last year, the awards kept coming for the big fellow — he was named at tighthead-prop in World Rugby’s Dream Team; he was named in the English Premiership Team of the Year, and in the award most valued by the players, he was voted Players’ Player of the Year in the English Premiership.
At the weekend, Du Toit enjoyed another barnstorming performance for Bath in their come-from-behind Champions Cup defeat of Saracens at The Rec. Coach Johann van Graan had strategically chosen to use The Tank off the bench, and the tactic worked wonders.
Bath were well behind at half-time, prompting former Bulls coach Van Graan to tell his players, “If there’s any fear about losing this game, throw the fear out. Let’s just go and be ourselves.”
Du Toit stepped up and turned the game on its head, notably in the set scrums where Bath went from reverse gear to forward acceleration. He went on to win Player of the Match as Bath won 31-22.
“Thomas was fantastic in that second half,” said Van Graan, who was a Springbok assistant coach under Heyneke Meyer.
“If you look at his two years and nine months that he’s been at Bath, in my view, he’s become one of the best players in the entire world of rugby, and he showed it again against Saracens.
“He was absolutely phenomenal in the scrum, in defence and attack. That’s why you build a squad. You call on 20-30 guys on a weekend, and all credit to Thomas and the players.”
Bath scored five tries in all — three in 15 minutes early in the third quarter, which were off Du Toit’s powerful scrumming.
The Sharks won a bidding war with Bath and French club Bordeaux, with the 30-year-old choosing to return to the green grass of home to see out his career.
Last season was a breakthrough one for Du Toit at international level, with Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus preferring to have him soften up the opposition front row before Wilco Louw came on to demolish what was left. Du Toit started five of the six Rugby Championship Tests.
Du Toit launched his career in Durban after finishing at Paarl Boys High and playing for the SA Schools team and the Junior Springboks. He played 116 times for the Sharks — earning the nickname “Thomas The Tank” — before joining Bath after the 2023 World Cup.
Friday: Bath v Northampton in Bath
Saturday: Warriors v Toulon in Glasgow; Leinster v Sale in Dublin
Sunday: Bordeaux v Toulouse in Bordeaux