Thomas “The Tank” du Toit says Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will gain some valuable insight when he shares the coaches’ box with Siya Kolisi in Santiago del Estero in Argentina tomorrow night (11pm kick-off, SA time).
Kolisi is being rested from playing duties for the big Rugby Championship match against Argentina, and Erasmus has told the media that he wants the loose forward to follow in the footsteps of Duane Vermeulen and become versed in how things go down among the coaches during a match.
Vermeulen has successfully transitioned from player to coach by following this path, but Du Toit said this week that Kolisi’s involvement with the coaches will be a two-way street.
“With Siya there, I think the coach will get some insight into what the players will be feeling,” the 29-year-old said.
“Siya will come with a newfound respect for what is happening in the box when we are on the field, but I think it will work both ways.
“There is a lot to be learned on both sides, and I am quite excited to see how this plays out.
“I think it is a very cool thing. Hopefully there is some new knowledge that we can take into the next couple of games that makes us a better team.”
Du Toit will be starting his third Test of the season. He has been on the fringes of selection, and his starts against Portugal and in the second Test against Australia, in Perth, are his only Springbok appearances of the year.
He featured in just three Tests last year, but did not make it to the World Cup in France.
Du Toit left the Sharks at the end of last season and has become a crowd favourite at Bath in western England.
He was named Bath’s player of the year, and it is no surprise that Erasmus is keeping Du Toit in the greater Springbok fold.
Tomorrow’s game will be Du Toit’s 21st for the Boks, and he knows that he needs a big performance.
“It’s an unbelievably competitive front row,” Du Toit said.
“We now feel, more than ever, that the trust is there. There’s also the part that we’re building a squad, and it’s not just words – it’s being put into action.”
Du Toit’s significant advantage is that he can play on either side of the front row, and is equally destructive whatever his role.
At 132kg and 1.90m, the Paarl Boys High product is a beast of a prop. And he knows that if he does not perform, he will quickly find himself on the outer.
“There is a big responsibility to perform, not just from an individual point of view but mostly for the team.
“On the flip side of the coin, there’s a big responsibility on the players that are being trusted.
“So, there’s a good balance of feeling trusted but also knowing that there’s a big job ahead of us, and we are carrying the hopes of the team and our country.”
Du Toit forms a formidable front row with loosehead Ox Nche and hooker Malcolm Marx.
Marx is enjoying just his second start of the year – his only starting cap for the Boks was in the friendly against Wales at Twickenham in June.
Argentina Team
15 Juan Cruz Mallia 14 Bautista Delguy 13 Lucio Cinti 12 Santiago Chocobares 11 Mateo Carreras 10 Tomas Albornoz 9 Gonzalo Bertranou 8 Joaquin Oviedo 7 Marcos Kremer 6 Pablo Matera 5 Pedro Rubiolo 4 Franco Molina 3 Joel Sclavi 2 Julian Montoya (captain) 1 Thomas Gallo.
Bench: 16 Ignacio Ruiz 17 Ignacio Calles 18 Pedro Delgado 19 Guido Petti 20 Juan Martin Gonzalez 21 Gonzalo Garcia 22 Santiago Carreras 23 Matias Moroni.