Pieter Stephanus "Piet" du Toit, (9 October 1935 – 26 February 1996) was a South African rugby international. He played as a prop. Due to his relative small stature and light weight for a prop, but still being a strong scrummager, he was known as Piet "Spiere" du Toit. Spiere is the Afrikaans word for "muscles".
Career As a student at the University of Stellenbosch, du Toit made his senior provincial debut for in 1956 and toured with the Springboks in New Zealand and Australia in 1956. In 1958 he started farming and joined the Malmesbury RFC and continued his provincial career at . He then also made his Test debut for the Springboks as a Boland player.
He played his first test match on 26 July 1958 against France in a historic series for les Bleus. He was later chosen for a series of four matches against the All Blacks, and helped the Springboks to two wins, one draw, and one defeat.
In 1960–61 he was selected for five games with the Springboks, who embarked on a tour of Europe. He helped beat Wales 3–0. He also participated in victories against Ireland 8–3 as well as over England 5-0 and Scotland 12–5. On 18 February 1961 the South Africans drew in Paris 0–0.
Piet du Toit also took part in three victories over the Irish and Australia in 1961 to end his international career.
Test history
No. Opponents Results(SA 1st) Position Tries Dates Venue 1. 3–3 Tighthead prop 26 Jul 1958 Newlands, Cape Town 2. 5–9 Tighthead prop 16 Aug 1958 Ellis Park, Johannesburg 3. 13–0 Tighthead prop 25 Jun 1960 Ellis Park, Johannesburg 4. 3–11 Tighthead prop 23 Jul 1960 Newlands, Cape Town 5. 11–11 Tighthead prop 13 Aug 1960 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein6. 8–3 Tighthead prop 27 Aug 1960 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth 7. 3–0 Tighthead prop 3 Dec 1960 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff 8. 8–3 Tighthead prop 17 Dec 1960 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 9. 5–0 Tighthead prop 07 Jan 1961 Twickenham, London 10. 12–5 Tighthead prop 21 Jan 1961 Murrayfield, Edinburgh 11. 0–0 Tighthead prop 18 Feb 1961 Colombes Stadium, Paris 12. 24–8 Tighthead prop 13 May 1961 Newlands, Cape Town 13. 28–3 Tighthead prop 5 Aug 1961 Ellis Park, Johannesburg14. 23–11 Tighthead prop 12 Aug 1961 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Personal life Piet completed his schooling at Paarl Boys' High School. Du Toit graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a B. Comm degree. In 1957, Piet du Toit and his wife Barbara, a teacher, started farming on the Kloovenburg Wine Estate near Riebeek Kasteel, Western Cape which his father and father in law bought in 1956. Piet retired in 1989 and his son, Pieter du Toit, still farms on this estate. Two of his grandsons, Johan du Toit and Pieter-Steph du Toit, also plays professional rugby. Pieter-Steph has already followed in his grandfather's footsteps by becoming a Springbok.
See also
List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 332
References
External links Photo and portrait at Springboks site- see 1960