Thomas du Toit

Thomas du Toit
du Toit playing in 2015
Full nameThomas Joubert du Toit
Date of birth (1995-05-05) 5 May 1995 (age 29)
Place of birthCape Town, South Africa
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2+12 in)
Weight136 kg (21 st 6 lb; 300 lb)
SchoolPaarl Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Current team Sharks / Sharks (Currie Cup)
Youth career
2008 Boland Cavaliers
2011–2013 Western Province
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2016 Sharks XV 10 (10)
2014–2023 Sharks (Currie Cup) 48 (25)
2014–2023 Sharks 116 (60)
2016–2017Munster 6 (0)
2019Stade Toulousain 1 (0)
2023-Present Bath Rugby 34 (70)
Correct as of 30 November 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 South Africa Schools 2 (0)
2014–2015 South Africa Under-20 9 (10)
2014–2015 Barbarians 4 (5)
2016–2017 South Africa 'A' 4 (0)
2018– South Africa 23 (5)
Correct as of 23 November 2023

Thomas Joubert du Toit (born 5 May 1995) is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and Bath Rugby[1] in the Gallagher Premiership. His regular position is prop. His nickname is The Tank.

Career

Youth

Du Toit represented Boland at the Under-13 Craven Week competition in 2008 and Western Province at the 2011 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week and 2013 Under-18 Craven Week competitions. He played for the Paarl Boys' High School first team in 2012 and 2013,[2] also captaining the side in 2013.[3]

In 2013, Du Toit was included in the South African Schools side that played in three matches in August of that year.[4] He made a substitute appearance in a 19–14 victory match over England in Crawford,[5] played the entire second match – a 17–13 victory against France in George[6] and was an unused substitute in their final match, a 14–13 win over Wales in Worcester.[7]

Du Toit then opted to move to Durban to join the Sharks academy for 2014.[8]

Du Toit was included in the South Africa Under-20 side for the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.[9][more detail needed]

In 2015, Du Toit was included in the South Africa Under-20 squad that toured Argentina.[10] He started both of their tour matches[11][12] and was then included in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[13] He started all three of their matches in Pool B of the competition; a 33–5 win against hosts Italy,[14] a 40–8 win against Samoa which saw Du Toit score South Africa's first try of the match in the seventh minute[15] and a 46–13 win over Australia[16] to help South Africa finish top of Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals with the best record pool stage of all the teams in the competition. Du Toit started their semi-final match against England, but could not prevent them losing 20–28 to be eliminated from the competition by England for the second year in succession.[17] He started their third-place play-off match against France, scoring his second try of the tournament to help South Africa to a 31–18 win to secure third place in the competition.[18]

Senior club career

With no prior first class rugby behind his name, Du Toit was a surprise inclusion in the Sharks squad for the 2014 Super Rugby season.[19] Still finding himself behind the likes of Tendai Mtawarira in the pecking order, however, he dropped down to the Sharks XV squad for the 2014 Vodacom Cup season.[20] He made his senior debut on 7 March 2014, against the Border Bulldogs in East London.[21] He came on as a half-time substitute and scored his first senior try just 15 minutes after coming on. His first start came three weeks later against the Free State XV in Bloemfontein.[22]

On 4 October 2016, it was announced that Du Toit would be joining Irish Pro14 side Munster on a three-month contract, following the completion of his Currie Cup commitments.[23] On 26 November 2016, Du Toit made his competitive debut for Munster when he came on as a replacement in the sides 46–3 win against Benetton in a 2016–17 Pro12 fixture at Thomond Park.[24]

On the 22nd of March 2023 Du Toit signed for English Premiership Rugby side Bath Rugby. Du Toit will officially join the team once the 2023 Rugby World Cup ends and he comes back from playing for South Africa. He will most likely make his debut in November 2023. [1] Following an impressive season he was named in the Premiership Rugby Team of the Season for the 2023–24 campaign.[25]

South Africa 'A'

In 2016, Du Toit was included in a South Africa 'A' squad that played a two-match series against a touring England Saxons team.[26] He was named in the starting line-up for their first match in Bloemfontein,[27] but ended on the losing side as the visitors ran out 32–24 winners.[28] He also started the second match of the series, a 26–29 defeat to the Saxons in George.[29] He captained the South Africa A-side on 10 November 2022 against Munster Rugby and then again against the Bristol Bears on 17 November 2022.

Senior South Africa

Du Toit was not initially named in South Africa's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[30] However he was called up to replace the injured Trevor Nyakane in the pool stage.[31] South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeating England in the final.[32]

References

  1. ^ "Du Toit has arrived at Bath Rugby | Bath Rugby".
  2. ^ "Union Sports Group Profile : Thomas du Toit". Union Sports Group. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Captain's profile: Thomas du Toit". Rugby365. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  4. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – South Africa : 2013 SA Schools 2013". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  5. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 19–14 England". South African Rugby Union. 9 August 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  6. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 17–13 France". South African Rugby Union. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  7. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa 14–13 Wales". South African Rugby Union. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  8. ^ "U19 Sharks Contracted Player for 2014". High School Sports Magazine. 21 January 2014. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Junior Springboks named for JWC 2014". South African Rugby Union. 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  10. ^ "SARU names Junior Bok squad for Argentine tour". South African Rugby Union. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  11. ^ "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 25 a 22". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Los Pumitas cayeron ante Baby Boks por 39 a 28". Unión Argentina de Rugby (in Spanish). 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  13. ^ "Liebenberg to lead Junior Boks at U20 World Championship in Italy". South African Rugby Union. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  14. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Italy U20 5–33 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  15. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 40–8 Samoa U20". South African Rugby Union. 6 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  16. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 46–13 Australia U20". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  17. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 20–28 England U20". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  18. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – France U20 18–31 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  19. ^ "Sharks 2014 squad" (Press release). Sharks. 11 February 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  20. ^ "SA Rugby Squad – Cell C Sharks XV : 2014 Vodacom Cup". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  21. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Border Bulldogs 24–46 Cell C Sharks XV". South African Rugby Union. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  22. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Toyota Free State XV 22–23 Cell C Sharks XV". South African Rugby Union. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  23. ^ "Latest Player Signings" (Press release). Munster Rugby. 4 October 2016. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  24. ^ "Munster Topple Treviso In Claiming Top Spot". munsterrugby.ie. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  25. ^ "Premiership Rugby Team of the Season 2023/34". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Ackermann to coach SA 'A' against Saxons". South African Rugby Union. 28 May 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  27. ^ "Youth and experience for SA 'A' opener against Saxons". South African Rugby Union. 8 June 2016. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  28. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa "A" 24–32 England Saxons". South African Rugby Union. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  29. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa "A" 26–29 England Saxons". South African Rugby Union. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  30. ^ "South Africa World Cup squad: Siya Kolisi wins fitness battle, Eben Etzebeth backed, Aphiwe Dyantyi dropped". Independent. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  31. ^ "Springboks call in replacement as injury rules Trevor Nyakane out of World Cup". rugbypass.com. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  32. ^ "England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time". BBC. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.