Thomas du Toit feels he still needs another two years to complete his transition from loosehead to tighthead prop.
The 23-year-old made a permanent move to tighthead this season, and featured solely in this position in his five Bok appearances off the bench this year.
Du Toit said that while he is starting to feel more comfortable at tighthead, he acknowledged that he needs more time to be able to make the position his own.
‘I would describe it as a very rocky and up-and-down season. I am finally starting to find my feet and getting opportunities to play in a role I really appreciate and love. It has been up-and-down, but that is the way that I would prefer it.
‘It is difficult to get to a stage where you can do what you want at tighthead as you would do at loosehead. They are such different positions and your energy management is the most difficult thing. That’s what I had to change the most, to be energy efficient around the park. I look for the more interesting work and not the funny stuff.
‘I am still finding my feet. I still believe I need another two years or so to put down my foot as a tighthead in South Africa, which is definitely always going to be difficult. But it is something I am going to strive to do.’
Du Toit says he does not mind the competition at tighthead, with the likes of Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe and Vincent Koch all vying for this position at national level.
‘We had a shortage of tightheads for a very long time and now it feels like we are flooding with them,’ Du Toit added. ‘I believe it brings the best out of all of us.’
Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
