Springbok battering ram Pieter-Steph du Toit has been crowned Midi Olympique’s 2025 World Player of the Year, capping yet another phenomenal season for one of South Africa’s modern greats.
The 33-year-old loose forward, who played a starring role in South Africa’s 2023 World Cup triumph, has been honoured by French publication Midi Olympique for his unmatched work rate, consistency, and leadership in green and gold.
Born in Cape Town and raised in the farming community of Riebeek Kasteel, Du Toit has always carried the humility and graft of his rural roots into his rugby. From his days at Swartland High, he stood out as a rare combination of power, endurance and relentless drive – traits that would later define his Test career.
KEO & ZELS: Pieter-Steph du Toit is the greatest Bok ever
After helping the Junior Boks win the 2012 World Championship, Du Toit made his senior debut just a year later, at only 21, against Wales. Originally a lock, he shifted to the flank under Rassie Erasmus, where his mobility, physicality, and ferocity around the breakdown turned him into one of the most complete players in world rugby.
Du Toit delivered the defining performance of his career in the 2023 World Cup quarter final in Paris against Les Bleus. In the World Cup final against New Zealand, he produced 28 tackles without a single miss, powering the Springboks to a tense 12–11 victory and a record-equalling fourth Webb Ellis Cup.
Now, after adding Midi Olympique’s prestigious Oscar Monde award to his growing list of accolades, Du Toit has further cemented his legacy among rugby’s elite – with some in France even daring to ask: “Is Pieter-Steph du Toit greater than Richie McCaw?”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post French vote Du Toit world’s best appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Springbok battering ram Pieter-Steph du Toit has been crowned Midi Olympique’s 2025 World Player of the Year, capping yet another phenomenal season for one of South Africa’s modern greats.
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