Former All Blacks captain Sam Cane has revealed the best Springbok player he faced in his 16 Tests against New Zealand’s greatest rivals.
Cane went head to head with two generations of Springbok greats during a 12-year Test career, coming up against the likes of Schalk Burger, Francois Louw, Duane Vermeulen and Siya Kolisi.
But when asked which opponent left the biggest impression, the former All Blacks flanker’s answer was immediate.
“Obviously, Pieter-Steph du Toit,” Cane said on The Aftermatch with Kirst & Beav.
“Particularly in his later years, he had a little bit of a bad injury run early on, or even now he seems to have a bad injury run, but he’s come right and is available for the Boks.
“He is just incredible, like how he’s been able to be so relentless.
“It’s a little bit like what Schalk Burger was, not that I played against Schalk in his prime – it was the end of his career – but like both massive humans, both got the blonde hair, but just huge, huge engines.
“They go all day, keep getting up in your face, never take a backward step.”
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Former All Blacks flyhalf Stephen Donald likened Du Toit to All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick.
“When you think about Pieter-Steph, he’s essentially like your great mate Guzzler but a loose forward,” Donald said. “That’s the phenomenal aspect to him, isn’t it?”
“Exactly,” Cane said. “When he first started, I always remember it was like, is he a lock? Is he a flanker?
“He can obviously slip in and play lock, but he’s that sort of athlete. He’s a rare breed.”
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The post Cane: He is just incredible appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former All Blacks captain Sam Cane has revealed the best Springbok player he faced in his 16 Tests against New Zealand’s greatest rivals.
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