Thomas du Toit returns to Munster expecting a fiery reception, but the Sharks juggernaut is revved up to “start from zero” and secure another special win on the road.
Du Toit scored one of the Sharks’ six tries in a 36-21 URC victory in Cardiff last week to secure back-to-back wins after beating Lyon in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
The 31-year-old had a brief stint in Limerick between 2016-17 before returning to Durban, so knows about the challenge that lies ahead for JP Pietersen’s charges at Thomond Park.
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“It’s a very proud city and a proud rugby club, and an unbelievable history,” he said on Tuesday. “I’ve played here at Munster, so I understand what it’s all about; they live and breathe Munster, and that uplifts the players.
“The other thing is that they’ve got a group of players that’s been together for a long time, so they’ve got unbelievable continuity.
“The kind of brotherhood … It makes them a very tough customer to deal with. We understand the challenges that lie ahead and we are excited for it.”
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The former Bath prop has made three appearances for the Sharks since rejoining the club this season. He touched on being part of a new-look pack alongside fellow Springbok world champion Ox Nché.
“You can see the change and that is evident in the way that we all play,” Du Toit said. “With the scrum, it always has to start from zero at the start of the season.
“I’ve played with Ox, I haven’t really played with any of the hookers that we’ve got here at the moment.
“It doesn’t matter how many training sessions you do, time in the saddle is what’s needed.”
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On potentially going unbeaten on tour, he shared: “To come to Cardiff and get a win like that, that’s quite special.
“There’s a lot of confidence but everyone is trying to get back to that normality of, ‘you have to start from zero again’.”
With a possible call-up for the Nations Championship this week, Du Toit looks to be in for a long trek abroad that comes with a different set of challenges.
“I’ve got a wife and three kids, my youngest daughter is three weeks old and I’ve known her for a week so it’s incredibly difficult.
“But, as the head of the home we need to provide for our families; everyone’s got their different ‘why’, my big why is providing for my family.”
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
The post The Tank knows why he’s back in Limerick appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Thomas du Toit returns to Munster expecting a fiery reception, but the Sharks juggernaut is revved up to “start from zero” and secure another special win on the road.
The post The Tank knows why he’s back in Limerick appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
