'As a young boy, your biggest dream is to stand there, especially at Ellis Park, facing New Zealand and the haka.'
Pieter-Steph du Toit celebrates after the Springboks won their Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks in Wellington last year. Picture: Joe Allison/Getty Images
An incredible career spanning two Rugby World Cup trophies and two World Rugby Player of the Year awards has barely diminished the excitement and nervousness Pieter-Steph du Toit feels ahead of Saturday’s Test match.
Du Toit will captain the Springboks in Siya Kolisi’s absence in the first of four Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test matches at Ellis Park (kick-off 5.10pm).
It will be the 34-year-old’s 99th game for the national side, but he admitted on Friday that he still feels butterflies ahead of matches, especially against South Africa’s historic rivals, the All Blacks.
‘Keep that dream alive’
“As a young boy, your biggest dream is to stand there, especially at Ellis Park, facing New Zealand and the haka,” Du Toit said.
“Now the older you get, the biggest dream is to keep doing it. As soon as it’s gone, it’s something you will never be able to do again.
“At the moment I’m trying to do everything I can to keep that dream alive, which is to still be there and add value and contribute to the team.”
Du Toit added the game had even more significance being at Ellis Park, where the Springboks beat the All Blacks in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.
“If you stand there and sing the anthem, you see the supporters get behind the Springboks. It’s unbelievable. It’s a special place for us as a country.”
Springbok captain hails De Allende, the haka
The game will be even more meaningful because centre Damian de Allende will be playing his 100th Test for the Springboks.
Du Toit described it as an “unbelievable honour” to see the centre reach the milestone.
“I still remember watching him play for the Stormers for the first time,” Du Toit said.
“He played wing, and I just saw that this guy was a beast. Especially the way he carried the ball and how he was in defence.
“I have so much respect for him, the way he carries himself on and off the field and how he’s grown as a person. It’s nice to see how people make progress in life.”
Following on from coach Rassie Erasmus asking South Africans to respect the haka, Du Toit added that assistant coach Tony Brown’s explanation of the pre-game ritual to the Springboks highlighted its significance.
“As individuals facing the haka, it stands for something personally for them. Each player has their own meaning.
“We’ll stand there and face the haka with respect and accept the challenge.”
