It was only a matter of weeks ago that South Africa flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit was tormenting All Blacks duo Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett with one of the greatest defensive masterclasses of all-time in the World Cup final. How times have changed, as the double World Cup winner is now lining up alongside the pair.
The trio are the standout foreign stars in the Toyota Verblitz squad in Japan Rugby League One, and they already seem in sync four games into the season as they linked up for a try against the Saitama Wild Knights on Saturday. Of course, Smith and Barrett should have no problem being in sync with each other, but it may be harder to gel with a player who produced a monumental 36 tackles against them as the Springboks triumphed at the Stade de France to lift their fourth Webb Ellis Cup. By the looks of the try they scored, there are not many problems in that department.
Though it is the defensive side of his game that du Toit has built his reputation, it was his ball carrying that stood out here. Off the back of a turnover on his own 22, the 115kg flanker charged through a gap, shrugging off two tackles in the process before offloading to an onrushing Barrett. The ball was worked wide immediately and trucked up field before Smith was on hand to finish the move off and give their side a 20-5 lead.
Jake White ahead of Bristol game
Watch the try here:
Toyota Verblitz scored another try shortly after, building a 27-5 lead, but were surprisingly unable to hold on for the win despite having a host of World Cup winners in their team, losing 43-27.
Then again, the Wild Knights were not short of world class talent themselves, with du Toit’s South Africa teammate Damian de Allende starting in the centres. The win means the Wild Knights are one of only two unbeaten teams left in the league, alongside Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, after four rounds. Toyota Verblitz, meanwhile, have won two of their opening four matches, and sit midtable.
