Thomas du Toit has been named in Bath's starting XV for Sunday's Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux Bègles. The Springbok prop's inclusion comes as Johann van Graan's side prepare for one of the marquee fixtures in the European club calendar.
Thomas du Toit will start for Bath when they face Bordeaux Bègles in Sunday's Investec Champions Cup semi-final.
The loosehead prop's selection by director of rugby Johann van Graan confirms his place in what is one of European club rugby's highest-profile fixtures of the season.
Du Toit opens up on his motivations as Bath prepare for their Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux Bègles — worth a read for anyone tracking Bok front-rowers in European club rugby.
The person writing this says yes but someone may disagree and if so you should have been writing this I guess
Van Graan's Bath are in the Champions Cup semi-finals using a recognisable Erasmus-style blueprint, and the piece maps just how deeply South African coaches and players have taken hold of European club rugby's elite tier.
Bath's Champions Cup semifinal run is the headline, but the bigger story is how thoroughly South African coaches and players now shape European rugby's elite — with five SA coaches in the last four and Van Graan's Erasmus-inspired finishing strategy at the centre of it.
With five SA coaches and SA-born captains leading clubs in the Champions Cup semis, this piece argues that Erasmus-style coaching philosophy is now driving European rugby's elite clubs — Bath's stunning comeback win over Northampton the latest proof.