Springbok prop Thomas du Toit would most probably walk straight into most international teams because of his quality and his ability to pack down on both sides of the scrum.
But such is the quality and depth in the Springboks front row that he only played at the 2019 Rugby World Cup because of an injury, while he missed out out completely in 2023.
That must have been painful to take for the former Paarl Boys High prop, who had been identified as potential Springbok from a very young age.
After making his Springboks debut in 2018, Du Toit has only managed to 21 appearances for the Springboks, which includes only eight starts. He has had to bide his time behind the likes of Frans Malherbe, Vincent Koch and Trevor Nyakane on the tighthead side, while the Boks are also well-stocked at loosehead.
However, after turning 29 in May, he still has another shot at a Rugby World Cup in 2027. And that journey arguably starts on Saturday in Argentina when the Boks face Los Pumas in what has been billed as an epic scrum battle .
