SPRINGBOK forward Pieter-Steph du Toit takes the ball of the top of the line-out against New Zealand on Saturday. | EPA
Kolisi attended the post-match media conference with the right side of his face swollen and when asked what the matter was he quipped: “I forgot my makeup.”
Next to him was coach Rassie Erasmus who gave a more serious analysis. Kolisi had to be replaced by Kwagga Smith in the 60th minute.
“To me, it looks like a fracture,” Erasmus said. “The doctor will have to take a look. I am not a doctor, but he doesn’t normally look like that.”
It is difficult to see Kolisi recovering in less than a week and that will mean a new player in the No 6 jersey at the Cape Town Stadium. At the rate Pieter-Steph du Toit is going, he could well fill the openside flank role.
Du Toit showed incredible versatility in the 31-27 defeat of the All Blacks by starting at No 4 lock, moving to No 5, and having a spell on the flank. He played all three positions with such skill that he was named Player of the Match.
Du Toit was exceptional in the line-outs for the Boks on their ball but also stole a crucial All Black line-out.
“I think maybe next time I must play wing so I can rest a bit more,” Du Toit said, laughing. “On a serious note, it was challenging in the line-outs because all three positions are different in the line-outs. And they are very good at putting pressure on you in the air.
“I will play in any position for this team. They asked me to do it and I am more than happy and capable of doing it.”
The towering lock has a knack for covering a marathon’s worth of ground throughout a match and he said his ability to motor backwards and forwards was due to his training as an athlete at school.
“When I was in primary school I trained a lot in athletics and I still believe to this day that it has helped me enormously in rugby.
“I saw the teacher a few months ago and I have a lot of respect for her in the way she helped me to develop my running style and get me ready for the role I have to play today.
“Elmarie at Laerskool Swartland – she helped me a lot and me and my wife trained with her and a lot of friends as well.
“I just believe she played a massive role in helping me where I am today,” he said.
The 32-year-old said the Bok comeback in the game was due to the senior players refusing to panic.
“The experienced guys helped a lot with the pressure points and everyone has a point to focus on,” Du Toit said. “I think it had a big impact on how we controlled the game toward the end.
“But you have to be fit to go the distance and all credit to the conditioning staff.
“Also, we’ve got a job to do, we get paid to do this and supporters pay a lot of money to see us play. We’ve got to represent them and make sure they get value for their money.”
The final say in the game went to electric scrumhalf Grant Williams. As he has often done, he spotted a gap close to the tryline and sprung over like a Jack-in-the-box.
Williams said the forwards must take the credit for the match-winning try.
“The gap opened for me, credit to the forwards and the Bomb Squad,” Williams said, smiling. “I’m super proud of our forwards — we had our backs against the wall and clawed our way back.”
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