Gold picks Du Toit for Sharks friendly
by Khanyiso Tshwaku,
2015-07-28 05:44:39.0
SHARKS director of rugby Gary Gold said he would play Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit in Friday’s Currie Cup warm-up game against the Golden Lions in Pietermaritzburg.
Du Toit missed most of the Super Rugby tournament with a knee injury and will be leaving the Sharks at the end of the Currie Cup to join Western Province. While he has not played much rugby in the past two years due to knee injuries, he is one of Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer’s favourites.
And despite his limited gametime, it should not come as a surprise if Du Toit is in the 31-man World Cup squad.
"Pieter-Steph will be making his comeback this weekend and he will be playing. I don’t know what Saru’s plan is with him but with us, he is currently contracted to us and we’re excited to have him back.
"I’m going to play him for as long as he is with us or until he gets called up to the Springboks and anyone who gets left out of the Boks will come back here and play for us," Gold said.
While Lubabalo "Tera" Mtembu’s replacement as captain will only be announced next week, Gold is not short of options in the leadership department as the likes of Marco Wentzel, Jean Deysel and Michael Claassens will be available for the duration of the tournament.
Gold stopped short of saying Wentzel, who captained the Super Rugby unit due to injuries and suspensions to the elected leaders, would be continuing as captain. Under the wily lock, the Sharks showed a semblance of control and discipline, facets the team lacked at the start of the season, which showed through yellow cards and suspensions.
"We are waiting to see what happens with Jean Deysel’s injury but Marco captained the team at the end of the season. If something is not broken, then I don’t see the point of fixing it," Gold said.
Unlike the run-up to the disastrous Super Rugby campaign where Gold arrived only a week before the tournament started, he has had time to work with the team ahead of the condensed Currie Cup which will have no byes.
A good start will be important as Super Rugby was an example on how not to start a tournament.
It is a pitfall that Gold is fully aware of but if there is a lesson Gold has taken from Super Rugby, it is avoiding the promise of playing attractive rugby without delivering results.
"I’ve been down the road of trying to predict a playing style but there are two factors. Firstly, we have to win. That is the demand in Durban," Gold said.
"We also realise there are things you can do in a game to make it attractive and still win.
"The other issue is the hunger and the desire. That is all I really want the Sharks supporters to see. It was seen with the Lions as they were written off ahead of the Super Rugby tournament and they came out with credibility with how they played the game."
Pieter-Steph du Toit, centre, will play for the Sharks in a warm-up on Friday and has a chance of making the Springbok squad for the World Cup. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/CARL FOURIE
SHARKS director of rugby Gary Gold said he would play Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit in Friday’s Currie Cup warm-up game against the Golden Lions in Pietermaritzburg.
Du Toit missed most of the Super Rugby tournament with a knee injury and will be leaving the Sharks at the end of the Currie Cup to join Western Province. While he has not played much rugby in the past two years due to knee injuries, he is one of Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer’s favourites.
And despite his limited gametime, it should not come as a surprise if Du Toit is in the 31-man World Cup squad.
"Pieter-Steph will be making his comeback this weekend and he will be playing. I don’t know what Saru’s plan is with him but with us, he is currently contracted to us and we’re excited to have him back.
"I’m going to play him for as long as he is with us or until he gets called up to the Springboks and anyone who gets left out of the Boks will come back here and play for us," Gold said.
While Lubabalo "Tera" Mtembu’s replacement as captain will only be announced next week, Gold is not short of options in the leadership department as the likes of Marco Wentzel, Jean Deysel and Michael Claassens will be available for the duration of the tournament.
Gold stopped short of saying Wentzel, who captained the Super Rugby unit due to injuries and suspensions to the elected leaders, would be continuing as captain. Under the wily lock, the Sharks showed a semblance of control and discipline, facets the team lacked at the start of the season, which showed through yellow cards and suspensions.
"We are waiting to see what happens with Jean Deysel’s injury but Marco captained the team at the end of the season. If something is not broken, then I don’t see the point of fixing it," Gold said.
Unlike the run-up to the disastrous Super Rugby campaign where Gold arrived only a week before the tournament started, he has had time to work with the team ahead of the condensed Currie Cup which will have no byes.
A good start will be important as Super Rugby was an example on how not to start a tournament.
It is a pitfall that Gold is fully aware of but if there is a lesson Gold has taken from Super Rugby, it is avoiding the promise of playing attractive rugby without delivering results.
"I’ve been down the road of trying to predict a playing style but there are two factors. Firstly, we have to win. That is the demand in Durban," Gold said.
"We also realise there are things you can do in a game to make it attractive and still win.
"The other issue is the hunger and the desire. That is all I really want the Sharks supporters to see. It was seen with the Lions as they were written off ahead of the Super Rugby tournament and they came out with credibility with how they played the game."
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