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Prop idols Ox and Tank to stay in SA until 2023

Thomas du Toit could be set for his second spell in Ireland (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

The Sharks have managed to retain the services of two of their biggest players. The franchise confirmed that star props Thomas Du Toit and Retshegofaditswe Nche have been locked in until 2023.

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The 1.9m, 136Kg human wrecking ball known as Thomas du Toit has come a long way since leaving Paarl Boys High in 2013.

The captain of Paarl Boys in his final year, he was selected for the SA Schools side that played three times in the August of 2013 against England France and Wales. He played in both the England (as a sub) and France (entire game) matches but was an unused sub against Wales.

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England train ahead of the ANC final:

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    England train ahead of the ANC final:

    Western Province were really keen to sign him right from the start but his heart was always set on signing with the Sharks.

    Rumour has it that when the WP scouts arrived to talk to him about a contract, he was sitting there waiting for them dressed in a Sharks jersey with a big grin on his face.

    The giant No.3, affectionately known to his teammates as ‘Tank’ has since trotted out onto the field 110 times in that jersey and has become an integral part of the team, providing them with a menacing physical presence right from the age of 19 when he played his first Super Rugby match.

    He’s scored 7 tries to date in his 36 Super Rugby appearances for the Sharks and having completed the transition from loosehead to tighthead now makes him a really valuable component of the front row being able to pack down on either side of the scrum.

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    Former Springbok prop Robbie Kempson who won back-to-back Currie Cup titles for the Sharks in ’95 and ’96 was full of praise for Du Toit’s move.

    “He has done an incredible amount of work and he should take a lot of the accolades,” Kempson said.

    https://twitter.com/TheSharksZA/status/1335479258685333504

    “From where he started compared to where he is now, he is a different prop and he can hold his own on the tighthead without question.”

    After having been side-lined with a calf injury in the local Super Rugby Unlocked competition the big prop is now back into the swing of things again anchoring the Sharks pack at tighthead for their 2020 Currie Cup campaign.

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    https://twitter.com/TheSharksZA/status/1335525468867530754

    A short stint with Munster had Thomas contemplate a possible move to Europe. He’s since drawn a lot of attention from European clubs and there have been lucrative offers but with his first child due to be born in two months and his ambition to become the best tighthead prop in country he’s decided to say no to the move and has signed a three year extension to his contract with the Sharks and he and his team-mate Ox Nche are now committed until 2023.

    Nche, who has one Springbok cap to date, has fit seamlessly into the Sharks since joining from the Cheetahs. “I’ve never had a season quite like this, it’s been hard particularly without the fans,” Nche said last week. “I did have a similar season with the Cheetahs when we had to transition from Vodacom Super Rugby to Pro 14, but this is been very different because at least then you knew you had the support of your fans at the stadium.

    “Now we playing in front of empty stands so yeah, it’s been quite unique.”

    Of his teammate, Nche said: “It’s great to have him back, he is a member of the Rugby World Cup-winning squad and that helps us to settle, focus on our jobs and do the basics right.”

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    H
    Hellhound 9 minutes ago
    Springboks' No.1 status in world rankings coming under increased threat

    I disagree. A fair system would include points for EVERY MATCH you play, top guns or dregs. The WC should not influence the points table. No tournament should. It should be simple. This much for a home or away win. The problem with that is that Top Tier nations can point stay by arranging a lot of games against those nations to bring up their points tally, which wouldn't work. At least not on the points table. It would however give Tier 2 nations more game time against the Top Tier nations, which in itself is a good thing. However, that being said, it would dilute the quality of teams as they don't face tough enough opposition to handle the real tough teams, so come WC time, they would suffer for those consequences. There is no points system that currently can be used that would be fair to all, so the best is to try and be as fair as possible. We may not like the current system, but it's the best we have. Some suggested the Soccer system, but it won't work in rugby. No one has come up with a better points system and if they did, WR isn't sharing that. They would rather keep an eye on Dr Rassie with pen in hand ready to declare everything he does as illegal and against the spirit of the game. The SA men are too big, we can't stop them. Maybe we should ban the big men from SA as illegal but keep the big men of other countries? Oh wait, now the SA backs are too fast and slippery. That isn't good for WR so let's declare fast SA backs as illegal too. Yeah, that's how it works in WR isn't it? WR and all other countries hate the Boks. Never give them the respect they deserve, then are shocked completely finding out that no South African care what the world of rugby or its fans or other nations think about us. We don't care about the points system. It's as rotten as World Rugby and it's socialistic communistic rule of laws. The Boks will keep leading the brand of rugby. Keep innovating. Keep pushing boundaries. Keep the game interesting. We respect the AB's because they respect us. They may not like us, but the respect has always been crystal clear. Over 100 years of the biggest rivalry in rugby’s history can't be thrown away just like that. No points system can do that. Between WC's, we care about the AB's, the rest is just preparation for the next WC.

    90 Go to comments
    J
    Jfp123 12 minutes ago
    New Zealanders may not understand, but in France Test rugby is the 'B movie'

    It would be interesting to see how the financial deal and viewing figures for these last 3 matches compare with those for previous tours by leading NH nations. I imagine that broadcasting rights are negotiated a fair way in advance, so did the broadcasters realise France would send a B team when they signed on the dotted line? And to what extent were viewing figures affected? I’d have thought die hard fans would tune in anyway, and more casual fans wouldn’t know much about French players, except perhaps Dupont, and wouldn’t care who played on the French side - wouldn’t it be which ABs played that would matter to them? Although the big ‘disrespect’ furore might have had an effect, but whether to increase or decrease viewing figures I couldn’t say.

    It’s not only the French national team that sends out B teams, many of their clubs do too, both in away matches in the Top14 and in Champions Cup. But these B teams often play in front of sell out crowds, and the value of the broadcasting rights for the Top 14 have gone up and up.

    Of course, home advantage is real, and matches against the Saffas and ABs where they play best is I guess at the current time the hardest test of all. However, it doesn’t look like we’ll actually see France A in NZ or SA for the foreseeable future - the Top14 really is a fabulous competition, almost year round brilliant rugby, with big stars from around the world, madly enthusiastic fans, and a big money earner, I can’t see the French making major alterations (I’m not French, but I’m a big fan too and the only alteration I’d make is a limit on individual playing time for player welfare).

    Considering their home record against NZ and away against Ireland, I think that’s enough to acknowledge that the top French players have a very high degree of skill, but if SH fans don’t see things that way, that’s up to them. My point was, if NZ fans don’t think much of them, why are they so bothered they’re not there. Anyway come 2027, France A will travel to the SH, if not NZ or SA, and we’ll see what happens!

    100 Go to comments
    S
    Soliloquin 32 minutes ago
    All Blacks squeeze past France to sweep July series in Hamilton

    Big question!

    I think they would get outsmarted by the A team, outpacked forward and depending on the form of the A team, the score would be more or less 15-20 points a higher or lower victory.

    The only issue is that France has a lot of 13s, and they were all in NZ.

    This weekend’s team was gassed out, so it’s also very much linked to fitness level.

    Just like the ABs were tired at the end of November, while the French were rusty after just one game against Japan.

    I fear they will get smashed in Paris without Dupont (confirmed to be still out) by the Springboks as it will be their first game of the international season (a nonsense to me - the biggest game will be the first)


    The squad for this France A would be:

    Gros-Mauvaka-Tatafu

    Flament-Meafou

    Cros-Ollivon-Alldritt

    Dupont-Ntamack

    Moefana-?(all 13s were in NZ) Costes ?

    Bielle-Biarrey-Penaud

    Ramos


    (But if you can take players from the NZ, then Guillard and Barassi or Fickou could be in)


    Against the C team:

    Erdocio-Bourgarit-Slimani

    Auradou-Halagahu

    Fischer-Guillard-Brennan

    Le Garrec-Hastoy

    Fickou-Depoortere

    Attissogbe-Villière

    Barré


    And a B team would be:

    Baille-Marchand-Atonio

    Cazeaux-Vergé

    Jegou-Jelonch-Gazzotti

    Lucu-Jalibert

    Danty-Frisch

    Lebel-Dréan

    Buros


    ———

    France A-France C at full fitness: 38-12

    France A-France B: 28-17

    France B-France C: 32-20


    It seems a bit like Toulouse is kind of France A at full power last year, UBB is France B at full power last year and Racing92 is France C at full power this year.

    111 Go to comments
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