Rugby World UK – July 2019

Age 24 (21.4.95) Position Wing

He’s enjoyed a stellar trajectory in

the past 18 months. Now a Wales

regular, he crossed for tries against

Italy, England and Scotland in the

Six Nations and is moving to Cardiff

Blues after four years at Worcester

having scored 38 tries in 64 games.

Age 27 (12.7.91) Position Wing

Shockingly, Woodman – all-time top

try-scorer in women’s sevens, a World

Cup winner who once scored eight in

a game – thinks of herself a novice. As

the ex-netballer says: “I still consider

myself one of the newbies because

I have so much more to learn and to

give.” She will be a star of the Olympics.

Age 30 (12.10.88) Position Lock

“A deep thinker on the game,” says

Steve Hansen of his second-row.

An extraordinary footballer to boot,

Whitelock is hotly tipped to take over

as All Blacks captain when Kieran

Read stands down after RWC 2019.

Has years left in him at the very top.

Age 26 (20 August 1992) Position Back-row

T

HERE ISN’T a player with

a bigger engine or heart

in the game. The sight of

a sobbing Du Toit after the

Boks beat the All Blacks in Wellington in

2018 was one of the images of the year.

No one, on a day when many players

had the game of their lives, did more

than Du Toit to secure the famous win.

He made 28 tackles and covered every

blade of grass at the Cake Tin at least

twice. It was one of the modern game’s

seminal displays and one that ended

the angst over Du Toit’s best position.

Having started his professional career

as a lock, Du Toit’s first few forays in the

No 7 jersey (blindside flank in SA) were

promising but undermined by errors big

and small. However, Boks coach Rassie

Erasmus persevered, believing that his

natural athleticism, high work-rate and

indefatigable spirit would eventually

translate into a rare gem in the back row.

The confidence Erasmus showed in Du

Toit has paid off and he is now the next

name on the team sheet after Siya Kolisi.

The Stormers started using him

exclusively as a blindside flank this year

and despite their collective struggles,

Du Toit has been the best No 7 out of

any South African franchise in 2019.

At 6ft 7in, he is an immense lineout

threat too, which should give SA a solid

set-piece at the World Cup. The Boks

have found a natural heir to Juan Smith.

33

PIETER-STEPH

DU TOIT

32 JOSH ADAMS 31 PORTIA WOODMAN 30 SAM WHITELOCK

100 Best Players

11 16 108

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