The Springbok duo of Siya Kolisi and Thomas du Toit will play their final home matches for the Sharks when they tackle Munster in a final round United Rugby Championship (URC) clash this weekend.

Kolisi has only been at the union for two years, but has made a huge impact in his new home city after 10 years at the Stormers. He will play for French club Racing 92 next season.

Du Toit, who was schooled in the Western Cape, moved as a professional to the Sharks after school and has spent nearly 10 years at the union. It’s an emotional time for him before he moves on to Bath in England.

The Sharks are currently eighth in the standings – the final play-off position – and can do no better than seventh. So, there is no chance of home play-offs for them, even if they progress to the final.

Thomas du Toit of the Sharks during their match against Benetton Rugby at Kings Park on 14 April 2023. (Photo: Steve Haag Sports / Gallo Images)

They could even miss out on the play-offs altogether. That would require Benetton beating the Stormers in Stellenbosch by a large margin while the Sharks simultaneously slump to a heavy defeat against Munster at home. Neither outcome is likely.

“Last week, it (leaving) definitely hit me a little bit. I just realised that, you know, 10 seasons or a decade is coming to an end at a union that I’ve really tried to be loyal to during the time that I’ve been here,” Du Toit said.

“It’s definitely emotional, but you know, it’s an exciting time in my life too. So, on the one hand, I’m hurting a little bit to be leaving, but on the other hand, it’s exciting.

“You’d be a bit naive if you didn’t think about it and you didn’t work through those emotions. It’s something I’ve been processing for the last two weeks or so.

“Listen, my job is a rugby player. I need to play good rugby and I want to leave this union on a very big high, as high as possible. It’s a scenario now of leaving the jersey in a better state than you got it.

Siya Kolisi of the Sharks is tackled by Aaron Shingler of Scarlets during their United Rugby Championship clash at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Wales, on 25 March 2023. (Photo: Ben Evans / Huw Evans / Gallo Images) 

Thomas du Toit in action for the Sharks against the Lions at Kings Park in Durban on 23 December 2022. (Photo: Steve Haag / Gallo Images)

“We often speak about it, but now it’s reality and now it needs to happen from my side.

“I am not one of those people who will just throw away a 10-year career at one club and pretend it didn’t mean anything. It means a lot to me.

“It is important to me, it is emotional. But I handle it the best way I can. And my way of handling it is to play good rugby. We will definitely need full dominance up front against Munster.”

Munster resurgence

The Sharks thumped Munster 50-35 in a European Champions Cup match at Kings Park three weeks ago. But the Irish side have regrouped and their 26-24 win over the Stormers in Cape Town last week underlined their progress.

Du Toit does not expect an easy ride against Munster for a second time.

“They are going to be much better prepared,” Du Toit said. “I think they had some tough conversations within their own camp. They won’t be the same.

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“They played some unbelievable rugby against the Stormers. We are going to see more of that. Their coach made it clear what they needed to work on after our game. They clearly got it right in Cape Town.”

One of the literal and figurative big reasons for Munster’s upturn has been the return of 2.08m-tall Bok lock RG Snyman. Unfortunately he will miss the Sharks game after failing concussion protocols.

The World Cup-winner started his first URC match in nearly two years against the Stormers last week after multiple injury setbacks, and delivered a colossal performance.

Former Springbok great Victor Matfield, himself the outstanding lock of his era, believes that Snyman will finally fulfil his vast potential after three injury-ravaged years.

“It’s so nice to see RG back. I was fortunate enough to coach him as a 19-year-old. He came from school straight into our structure at the Bulls,” Matfield told a media round-table this week.

“He is one of those once-in-a-lifetime players. The skill level that he has with his size is just unbelievable. It is a pity that he hasn’t been able to play for Munster in the past two years and couldn’t show the world what he can do.”

Although Snyman’s Bok career has largely centred on his impact off the bench, with Munster, he will start against the Sharks. Matfield, though, was salivating at the prospect of the superb athlete being back in the Test arena.

“RG brings something different. If you need someone to open up the game, be in the midfield, get on the ball, get through tackles, make offloads, he is just unbelievable,” Matfield said.

RG Snyman of Munster in action against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on 15 April 2023. (Photo: Carl Fourie / Gallo Images)

“The one thing I have definitely enjoyed at this stage is his confidence in running the lineout. Before this, he was a youngster, so he was caught between the No 4 and No 5 positions. I like him at No 5, making the calls and running the lineout. If he has added that to what he already has, then he will be unstoppable.

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“He will be very important for South Africa. I think he will play a huge role off the bench, if Eben and Lood don’t get injured. Those two will always start if they are fit. Lood is still the best in the world at running lineouts and Eben is Eben. But with RG fit, we can really go for that six-two split on the bench.”

Stormers hoping for top two

The Stormers are hunting a top-two spot for a possible home semifinal, although it’s no longer in their control after they went down to Munster last week.

The Stormers need Ulster, who meet Edinburgh and are out of play-off contention, to slip up while they secure a hefty bonus-point win over Benetton in Stellenbosch on Friday.

A home quarterfinal is assured for the Stormers and they all but conceded last week that finishing second was over as Ulster are unlikely to slip up against lowly Edinburgh.

Coach John Dobson has rotated his side for the match as a consequence.

“We have made a few rotational changes to make sure that everyone will be ready to perform in the knock-out phase of the competition,” Coach John Dobson said.

“We want to raise our game and put in a confidence-building performance to take some momentum forward.”

The Bulls will be desperate to return to their winning ways at Loftus Versfeld after going down in their last two matches on their home ground.

They meet Leinster in a crucial match which will determine whether they remain on the bottom end of the top-eight, or they make a big jump as far up as fifth place for an easier playoff spot. DM