‘He’s going to Boland,’ jokes Kolisi about Du Toit as he hails return of Bok stars to SA

Springbok stars Pieter-Steph du Toit and Malcolm Marx are both set to continue their franchise rugby careers back in South Africa after securing releases from their Japanese clubs. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi hailed the return of a number of Springbok stars to South Africa over the past few weeks, with the latest being Pieter-Steph du Toit, after it was announced on Friday that the Bok loose forward and two-time World Player of the Year had been released by his Japanese team.

On Thursday it was announced that Malcolm Marx had signed with the Bulls and Manie Libbok with the Sharks, while late last month Kwagga Smith also signed with the Bulls, all of them returning from Japan.

Marx and Libbok will see out their contracts with their respective Japanese franchises until the end of the season next year, so will only arrive back in SA in July 2027, while Smith is available to play once he returns from injury, as will Du Toit once he signs on with an SA franchise after he was released with immediate effect.

A slew of Boks have returned to SA over the years, not only from Japan, but also from France and the UK, with the most recent returnees being Cheslin Kolbe, Thomas du Toit, Boan Venter, Curwin Bosch and Faf de Klerk over the past off season.

Other players like Handre Pollard, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Deon Fourie and even Kolisi himself, who spent a difficult season at Racing 92 in France, came back after overseas stints. Going back further, former Boks Frans Steyn, Duane Vermeulen, Morne Steyn and Ruan Pienaar also returned after playing abroad.

On Friday at a pre-match press conference ahead of their Nations Championship match against Italy in Turin on Saturday, Kolisi hailed the returning players and explained it could only be good for South African rugby.

“Of course it’s positive. It’s always good to have our players playing at home. I think it just shows that home will always be home and there is nothing better than being here. So I am glad that the guys are coming home,” said Kolisi.

“I think the South African people, the way that they have welcomed them back (shows how big it is). The Bulls getting Malcolm and Kwagga back, Manie coming back (to the Sharks) is also big.

“I am not sure where Pietie (du Toit) is going, Cape Town I don’t know,” added Kolisi with a laugh before Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick chimed in saying that he was going to Boland. “He’s going to Boland, that’s also good,” laughed Kolisi again.

“So I am really happy. I think it’s good for the South African people (to see their players playing in SA), and I think it’s good for the Springboks as well, it’s really exciting.

“If you think about how (young) players coming up (through the franchise systems) will now be learning from Pieter and Kwagga and all those guys. So it’s really huge.”

Kolisi added that the United Rugby Championship (URC) derbies in the coming seasons will now be even more fiercely fought, with more Springbok stars set to be going up against one another in those games.

“The SA derbies, ya I don’t know, that’s going to be tough. I don’t know how that is going to go next year, because all the teams are getting stacked. So the URC is going to be on fire next year.”

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