Emotions rising as Du Toit, Kolisi prepare to bid Kings Park goodbye

Sharks veteran Thomas du Toit says he gets quite emotional when he thinks about this weekend’s United Rugby Championship match against Munster at Kings Park being his last home game for a union he has played for since 2013.

Du Toit will join Bath in England when the Sharks are knocked out of the URC. The final round of fixtures is this weekend, with the knockouts to come later on.

The Sharks are currently in eighth position on the points table and just about certain of playing in a quarter-final away from home, but a win against Munster could get them into seventh spot or higher, depending what happens with the Bulls (seventh) and Connacht (sixth).

‘Last home game’

“This will definitely be my last URC game at Kings Park,” said Du Toit on Wednesday.

“I realised just the other day that a decade here is coming to an end. It’s now sinking in, and I’m quite emotional … it hurts a bit to be leaving, but it’s also exciting.”

Du Toit added it would be important for him to work through the emotions over the next few days, before kick-off on Saturday at 6.15pm.

“You simply have to process it … it would be naïve for me to say I haven’t been thinking about it,” said the 27-year-old.

“I want to leave on a high, leave the jersey in a better place … it’s something we always talk about as players, and now it is my reality.”

Kolisi also saying goodbye

The other known Sharks player to be leaving the union at the end of the season is captain Siya Kolisi, who will be joining Racing 92.

Du Toit said the Bok captain had made a good impact in Durban, since joining from the Stormers two years ago.

“Siya is a natural leader, he gets along with most people and he brought that personality and inclusiveness (to the Sharks),” said Du Toit.

“He’s done well getting to know everyone … and made a good impact with the players.”

Last Munster meeting

The last time the Sharks faced Munster was in a Champions Cup quarter-final on 1 April and on that occasion Du Toit and Co scored a 50-35 win against the Irish side. The big prop said the Sharks were expecting a different Munster team to the one that played at Kings Park that day.

“It won’t be the same team, especially because of the way we played against them the last time,” said Du Toit.

“They’re going to be much better prepared, they would have had some hard and tough conversions in their camp, and they’ll come into this match having played unbelievably well against the Stormers last weekend.

“It’s going to be a different ball game, and we’re not expecting to score 50 points against them.”