Springbok prop Thomas du Toit has revealed why he turned down a lucrative offer from Bordeaux to return to the Sharks
Springbok prop Thomas du Toit has revealed why he turned down a lucrative offer from Bordeaux to return to the Sharks.
The 30-year-old confirmed on the Maul or Nothing podcast that he rejected a “very good” deal from the reigning Champions Cup winners in favour of a four-year contract in Durban.
“There was a moment where we thought, ‘Do you know what, we’re just going to do it – bite the bullet and go for it 100%,’” Du Toit said. “But we knew what the right decision was.
We did turn down the offer from Bordeaux. It was a very good offer, it was a very fair offer, and we were extremely grateful for it. I had the conversation with [head coach] Yannick [Bru], but we were looking more to the future with family and getting them settled. Our whole life is in South Africa.”
Du Toit joined Bath after the 2023 World Cup and helped the club to the Premiership title at Twickenham in June. He came off the bench in their 38-17 win over Gloucester last weekend.
While Bath coach Johann van Graan was keen to extend his stay beyond 2026, Du Toit said the pull of home was too strong.
“We’re going to miss this place unbelievably much,” he said. “But it’s important to take every day step by step and make the most of the time we’ve got here.
“I’m looking forward so much to this season with Bath. I’m going to give everything like I have the last couple of years. But over and above everything, it’s a family decision, one I made for the best of my family. That’s basically the long and short of it.”
Du Toit also reflected on the Springboks’ recent Rugby Championship triumph and praised Rassie Erasmus’ ability to get the team focused on the task at hand.
“Rassie has got a unique ability to get the guys up for every single game and make us understand the importance of the next one,” he said. “We try to put every match into its own block. You don’t look too far ahead or too far back.
“For us, it’s about playing as well as we can to win these big things – putting another arrow in the quiver, another badge on the belt. The thing that stood out this time was the uncertainty around the Rugby Championship for the next couple of years. This was the last time that this group looked so similar in the tournament.
“So we just built on that, which was quite special, and we did it for each other. I found it a very special game and everyone enjoyed it.”
