Du Toit’s POTY award is special

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Brendan Venter says Pieter-Steph du Toit’s World Rugby Player of the Year award is all the more touching because his career hung by a thread not so long ago.

Du Toit had his excellent season recognised when he was named Player of the Year for 2019 at the World Rugby Awards in Tokyo on last Sunday, beating teammate Cheslin Kolbe, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones, flanks Ardie Savea (New Zealand) and Tom Curry (England) and USA hooker Joe Taufete’e to the award.

In his column for Stuff.co.nz, Venter writes that Du Toit’s decoration as the best player in the world is particularly significant because the lock-cum-flank’s career had almost gone under four years ago due to a serious knee injury.

‘The Springboks, who have moved ahead of the All Blacks in the World Rugby rankings, were named Team of the Year which is an amazing achievement. Rassie Erasmus earning the title of Coach of the Year is well deserved and Pieter-Steph du Toit being picked as Player of the Year is special.’

‘When I was coaching at the Sharks in 2015, Du Toit suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear for a second time and everyone thought his career was over. However, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Willem van der Merwe came up with a procedure which allowed Du Toit to play in the 2015 World Cup. It saved his career which was incredible.

‘Then in 2016, in a Test against England, Ben Youngs ran past Du Toit twice where the latter moved off the second position off the ruck and England won comfortably. Both the player and then Bok coach Allister Coetzee got totally lambasted and people said what an idiot he was for playing Du Toit as a blindside because he was a lock. Du Toit is now the best player in the world because they persisted with him.’

Photo: World Rugby

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SA Rugby magazine