Good news for Sharks fans, according to the MyPlayers website, is that talisman lock Pieter-Steph du Toit is aiming to play for the side one more time before Super Rugby 2015 has run its course.
Du Toit, who suffered what was at first thought to be a season-ending knee ligament injury against the Cheetahs back in March, was later confirmed to face just three months on the sideline after a better-than-expected surgical outcome. He’s apparently hoping to be fit for selection when the Sharks take on the Stormers in Durban on 13 June, their last Super Rugby match of the season.
He is, of course, very much hoping to be in contention for the Springbok World Cup squad this year; for Sharks fans, though, the big concern is rater what he will opt to do after October. Du Toit signed a 2-year Sharks contract extension in 2013 and there has, as yet, been no indication as to whether he intends to renew again when his current deal expires on October. The fact that the Sharks have treated him well through nearly two years of injury rehab should hopefully weigh in their favour, as will the fact that younger brother Johan is also contracted in Durban and making great strides.
On the flip side, the current crisis in Sharks rugby must certainly be weighing on the player’s mind and only a fool could argue that he doesn’t stand a better chance of winning trophies (and improving his own Bok selection chances) if he were to play elsewhere. There can also be little doubt that a number of sides including the Bulls, Western Province and Montpellier would be prepared to break the bank to secure his signature.
Along with Pat Lambie and Marcell Coetzee, Pieter-Steph du Toit is one of only a handful of players in the current squad around whom the Sharks could hope to rebuild a team capable of challenging for Super Rugby honours. Let’s hope they all buy into the bigger picture.
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I think for our final game of the season we should send out a team comprised of Thomas Du Toit, PSDT, Marcel Coetzee, Willem Alberts and Pat Lambie only. Keep any form of coach away from them for the week preceding the game. I’m pretty confident they’ll outperform any team we’ve fielded so far this year…
Ja let’s hope he signs with the Sharks again as they will need him to build for the future!!!!
The way that Pieter-Steph was hitting the gym the other day, it seemed like he will make a quick return. Let’s hall hope that it turns out to be that way.
@Culling Song (Comment 1) : Bothma and Lewies on the bench at least?
Eish we can only hope he signs again..
I really hope Piet makes the World Cup squad.
Really hope he stays!
@Culling Song (Comment 1) : You need a no.9. Hoffmann perhaps? 😉
@vanmartin (Comment 4) : On past form, Lewies would make the starting line-up. Not sure how he performed this weekend though.
I’m not totally sold on Bothma yet. Not that I’ve watched much rugby, mind you, so I’m not being entirely fair either.
@Another Nick (Comment 8) : You need a kick in the unmentionables, perhaps?
Lets hope that Pastorshark has been delivering weekly parcels of biltong and German speciality cold meats to him. A butterkuchen now and then too. That should keep him in the fold.
How about delivering some good news on Pat Lambie’s recovery as well?
@Culling Song (Comment 10) :
Not today thanks. I get my weekly dose each weekend when the Sharks play..
I’m looking forward to Lambie Jordan psst and Claasens more than a kid does to Christmas. Unfortunately our coaching staff will once again go completely opposite direction and throw away all advantage they may have brought. Just don’t know what they will do yet but their stupidity knows no creative boundaries…so let’s see.
Bakkies and Victor playing together at the Bulls made a world of difference when they played for the Boks. So, although it breaks my heart, I’d really like PSDT to sign for Western Province and get used to playing with Eben Etsebeth.
Of course, if the Sharks could sign Etsebeth, that would also work!
@josefgremlin (Comment 15) : Signing Etsebeth would be cool, but let’s be honest, with the current state of the Sharks union, the highest we could probably aim for at present is Stompie Van Wyk, no. 5 lock for the Pofadder High second 15’s…
@Culling Song (Comment 16) : And he would frst have to weigh that up against the offer from the “Upington Dorp se Rugbyclub” for petrol / beer money.
@Bokhoring (Comment 17) : Ag f***, there goes that signing too…
@Culling Song (Comment 16) : Good news is Stompie grew another inch since last season. 1.75 meters now, yeah baby! 😈
He could sign for the lions. But somehow that will cause the bok coach to completely forget his name. so ja. That wont happen
Lets be honest with the state of the Sharks rugby union at present…why would any top young player sign or resign with them? Super rugby team in a shambles…VC side organised chaos…no Varsity cup side…age group sides take a beating year on year…but hey we got kiff beaches!
@SheldonK (Comment 21) : Actually, signing for the Sharks is the most sensible thing you could do as a youngster. You know you’re not going to get used, so no risk of injuries, and *lots* of free time to study towards that degree…
@Culling Song (Comment 22) : All valid points those…didnt think of that.
@Culling Song (Comment 22) : the Heimar Williams approach. Taking advantage of the awesome Sharks bursary route to CA qualification.
@robdylan (Comment 24) : Smart boy, that Heimar!
STOMPIE can’t sign for the sharks there is an age restriction under 30 need not apply. Unless you are hopelessly untalented and no other union wants you….
Can’t wait for your return PSdT. We need you to come captain this spineless team. 🙄
Along with Brussow my favorite SA player, class…..would love to have him back in the Western Cape.
PSdT kinda falls under the John Smit (and therefore Botes) school of recruits, so I’m hoping a proper effort is made to retain his services post world cup.
@coolfusion (Comment 14) : The feeling I got from some comments on here, is that Claassens was seen as a bad buy? I beg to differ, but then I am Cheetahs fan, and I rate Claassens highly as a scrummie, as do Toulon apparently.
Sharks need to work hard to keep this guy…………. He is the future of Sharks rugby, his attitude and skill exemplifies what the jersey means to him.
Captain in the making. and not too distant future.
Legend he will be.
I just hope its for the Sharks.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 29) : he was recruited by Gavin Melville, 2 years before Smit took over
Stop depressing me!
@robdylan (Comment 32) : But…Smit was key to re-signing him when the bulls threw everything at poaching him.
oh shit. I don’t like what I’m hearing.
@robdylan (Comment 35) : Care to shed any light on what you are hearing?
@robdylan (Comment 35) : From what you’ve heard, is Province’s signing of PSDT a done deal? Or just a likely deal?
@Culling Song (Comment 37) : Daai blerrie kapenaars 😈
@Culling Song (Comment 37) : If it is true, it would make sense from the player’s perspective. A super and Bok locking partnership of PSDT and Etzebeth could equal the exploits of Bakkies and Matfield in their prime.
well, nothing can be a done deal, since PS isn’t even allowed to see any other offers until 1 July.
But if what I hear is true, his mind is made up. You know I don’t like to peddle in rumours, but this one is just depressing me.
@Bokhoring (Comment 39) : They’ll make the most injury prone combo in history 😈
@FireTheLooser (Comment 41) : I should have said provided they can stay injury free for at least a season.
@Bokhoring (Comment 42) : The only team worse than the Sharks at managing injured players has to be the Streamers….the two of them will become a mean wine tasting combo, locking partners though…not so much 😀
@FireTheLooser (Comment 41) : However if one look at the facts around PSDT’s injury problems in the cold light of day, he has not really managed to play a lot of games for for the Sharks. The ones where he did, he was massive. However he has never been been able to contribute over the bulk of season for the Sharks. So potentially losing him may not be as bad as we think.
@Bokhoring (Comment 44) : Agreed
@robdylan (Comment 40) : Feel your pain. My only consolation is we’d (hopefully) still have Lewies.
@robdylan (Comment 40) : ag nee dammit! is younger boet joining him?