Thomas du Toit says that he was itching to get back to Bath Rugby during the final stages of his mid-season break.
Prop Thomas du Toit made his return to action for Bath Rugby when he came on as a 53rd-minute replacement against Saracens here at The Rec on Friday 20th March | Photo © Richard Briggs
The South African prop was given an extended holiday by Blue, Black & White head of rugby Johann van Graan during the two-month pause in Gallagher PREM fixtures.
Du Toit made his return to action in the Round 11 clash with Saracens at The Rec on Friday 20th March – the first match to be staged in the PREM since the weekend of 23rd and 24th January.
The 30-year-old came on as a replacement in the Somerset side’s 62-15 victory.
And at Bath’s post-match press conference, he said: “For me personally, it’s been great just to get back into the thick of things.
“There’s been an eight-week run for me without playing. It was an unbelievable opportunity but also a big responsibility to keep fit in the time that I had away.
“When you feel the last week or so that you really want to get back to your club, you know that you’re at the right club, and you’re really enjoying your time there.
“And that’s the way I felt and I was really excited to get back. Really excited to get back into the thick of things, actually playing now.”
Du Toit arrived off the bench as part of a seven-man bomb squad in the 53rd minute. And he admitted that he enjoys being a replacement as much as he enjoys being part of the Bath starting XV.
He said: “It’s nice going on with people that are like-minded with you.
“Everyone on the bench knows their roles. They know what to do and they know what’s expected of them at a certain time of the game.
“These certain scenarios we are planning for during the week – and when you come on at that certain time, you understand your expectation.
“And it’s just nice knowing that you’ve got those guys around you that have got exactly the same mindset as you, wanting to deliver the exact same thing and working towards a common goal.
“I’ve been on both sides of that coin, starting and bench – and for me, as a prop, it doesn’t really make that big a difference.
“I enjoy both sides of it. So, off the bench, starting, doesn’t really matter.
“For me, it’s for the betterment of the team. Whatever is required of me as a player, I want to deliver.”
