Piet du Toit

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".

Piet du Toit

Du Toit in New Zealand in 1956
Birth name	Pieter Stephanus du Toit
Date of birth	(1935-10-09)9 October 1935
Place of birth	Petrusville, Union of South Africa
Date of death	26 February 1996(1996-02-26) (aged 60)
Place of death	Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	95 kg (209 lb)
School	Paarl Boys' High School
University	University of Stellenbosch
Notable relative(s)	Pieter-Steph du Toit (grandson), Johan du Toit (grandson)
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)

Career

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

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

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

• Sports portal

• List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 332