Piet du Toit

Piet du Toit
Du Toit in New Zealand in 1956
Birth namePieter Stephanus du Toit
Date of birth(1935-10-09)9 October 1935
Place of birthPetrusville, Union of South Africa
Date of death26 February 1996(1996-02-26) (aged 60)
Place of deathHermanus, Western Cape, South Africa
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight95 kg (209 lb)
SchoolPaarl Boys' High School
UniversityUniversity of Stellenbosch
Notable relative(s)Pieter-Steph du Toit (grandson),
Johan du Toit (grandson)
SpouseBarbara
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1953–1958 Maties ()
1958–1963 Malmesbury RFC ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1956–1958 Western Province ()
1958–1963 Boland ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1958–1961 South Africa 14 (0)

Pieter Stephanus "Piet" du Toit, (9 October 1935 – 26 February 1996) was a South African rugby international. He played as a prop.[1] Due to his relative small stature and light weight for a prop, but still being a strong scrummager, he was known as Piet "Spiere" du Toit.[2] Spiere is the Afrikaans word for "muscles".

Career

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As a student at the University of Stellenbosch, du Toit made his senior provincial debut for Western Province in 1956 and toured with the Springboks in New Zealand and Australia in 1956. In 1958 he started farming and joined the Malmesbury RFC and continued his provincial career at Boland. He then also made his Test debut for the Springboks as a Boland player.[3][4]

He played his first test match on 26 July 1958 against France in a historic series for les Bleus.[5] He was later chosen for a series of four matches against the All Blacks, and helped the Springboks to two wins, one draw, and one defeat.

In 1960–61 he was selected for five games with the Springboks, who embarked on a tour of Europe. He helped beat Wales 3–0. He also participated in victories against Ireland 8–3 as well as over England 5-0 and Scotland 12–5. On 18 February 1961 the South Africans drew in Paris 0–0.

Piet du Toit also took part in three victories over the Irish and Australia in 1961 to end his international career.[6]

Test history

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No. Opponents Results
(SA 1st)
Position Tries Dates Venue
1.  France 3–3 Tighthead prop 26 Jul 1958 Newlands, Cape Town
2.  France 5–9 Tighthead prop 16 Aug 1958 Ellis Park, Johannesburg
3.  New Zealand 13–0 Tighthead prop 25 Jun 1960 Ellis Park, Johannesburg
4.  New Zealand 3–11 Tighthead prop 23 Jul 1960 Newlands, Cape Town
5.  New Zealand 11–11 Tighthead prop 13 Aug 1960 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
6.  New Zealand 8–3 Tighthead prop 27 Aug 1960 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth
7.  Wales 3–0 Tighthead prop 3 Dec 1960 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
8.  Ireland 8–3 Tighthead prop 17 Dec 1960 Lansdowne Road, Dublin
9.  England 5–0 Tighthead prop 07 Jan 1961 Twickenham, London
10.  Scotland 12–5 Tighthead prop 21 Jan 1961 Murrayfield, Edinburgh
11.  France 0–0 Tighthead prop 18 Feb 1961 Colombes Stadium, Paris
12.  Ireland 24–8 Tighthead prop 13 May 1961 Newlands, Cape Town
13.  Australia 28–3 Tighthead prop 5 Aug 1961 Ellis Park, Johannesburg
14.  Australia 23–11 Tighthead prop 12 Aug 1961 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Personal life

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Piet completed his schooling at Paarl Boys' High School.[7] Du Toit graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a B. Comm degree. In 1957, Piet du Toit and his wife Barbara, a teacher, started farming on the Kloovenburg Wine Estate near Riebeek Kasteel, Western Cape which his father and father in law bought in 1956. Piet retired in 1989 and his son, Pieter du Toit, still farms on this estate.[8] Two of his grandsons, Johan du Toit and Pieter-Steph du Toit, also plays professional rugby. Pieter-Steph has already followed in his grandfather's footsteps by becoming a Springbok.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Pieter Stephanus du Toit". ESPN scrum.
  2. ^ a b "Du Toit inspired by Piet 'Spiere'". Sport. 7 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Prodigal son returns - SA Rugbymag". www.sarugbymag.co.za. 15 March 2016.
  4. ^ Craven, Daniel Hartman (1980). Die groot rugbygesin van die Maties. Kaapstad: G. & S. pp. 183–184. ISBN 0620048794. OCLC 86067195.
  5. ^ "Error Page 404 | SA Rugby". www.sarugby.co.za.
  6. ^ Jooste, Graham K. (1995). South African rugby test players 1949-1995. Johannesburg: Penguin. pp. 27–38. ISBN 0140250174. OCLC 36916860.
  7. ^ "Paarl Boys' High v Paul Roos Historic Overview". Rugby 15. Archived from the original on 11 July 2017.
  8. ^ "The Family". www.kloovenburg.com.
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