VIDEO: What makes Pieter-Steph true Bok captaincy material

In Paris, last October, Pieter-Steph du Toit made one of the most iconic half-time speeches ever in the game.

His demonstrative and impassioned words – which can’t be repeated in public – helped spark the South African team to come back from trailing 6-15 with just over 10 minutes remaining to score a sensational one-point (16-15) win over England in the World Cup semifinal.

Du Toit, 31, followed that up with a Man of the Match performance in an even more dramatic one-point (12-11) win over New Zealand in the Final a week later.

The 76-times-capped Springbok made a tournament-high 28 tackles, resulting in the most stupefying highlights video reels.

On Saturday at Twickenham, in the Boks’ first game since the Stade de France masterclass in Paris last October, Du Toit will lead his country out against Wales.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has no doubt the veteran forward deserves the opportunity to lead his country onto the international stage.

Erasmus said they have some ‘great’ leaders in the squad, but the key is taking ownership.

“Pieter-Steph [du Toit] has had only one chance as captain and that was against Wales [in Washington DC in 2018,” Erasmus told a media briefing.

“We only flew out to Washington on the Friday,” the coach said about the 20-22 loss, adding: “A player who works as hard as he does deserves another chance.

“The rest of the squad agrees, it is great for him to get a chance to set the record straight.

“He is genuine captaincy material.”

Erasmus is not the only person who seems to think Du Toit embodies everything good about South African players.

(Article continues below the Erasmus interview …)

In the latest episode of his Walk the Talk series, retired Scotland international Jim Hamilton spoke to enigmatic Japan coach Eddie Jones about what sets South African players like Pieter-Steph du Toit apart from the rest.

“Rugby is a hard, physical game,” Jones, who was part of the Bok backroom staff for their victorious 2007 World Cup campaign, told Hamilton.

“The team has a psychological or social profile about it.

“You have to know the profile of that team.

“Whatever team you coach, you have to understand what they can be good at, where it comes from and what is the history of the team.”

Hamilton and Jones touched on the ’emotional driver’ behind the Springboks, while their arch-rivals New Zealand were more ‘systematic’ rather than emotive driven.

“When you have a team [that is] dialled in, they are together and look after each other, that is when your team plays tough all the time,” Jones said.

“South Africa has that now.”

Du Toit, Springbok No.854, made his Test in November 2013 against Wales at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff Arms Park.

It is fitting that he gets to captain the team against the Welsh Dragons.

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* To watch the entire Walk the Talk interview on RugbyPass TV, CLICK HERE!