Skrela could sink Gaffie
10 Mar 2008
Gaffie du Toit admits that David Skrela’s move from Stade Français to Toulouse could signal the end of his career.
The former Springbok utility back is in his second (full) season with the French giants and was looking forward to an extended run in the side after watching Frédéric Michalak (now at Sharks) and Jean-Frédéric Dubois (now at Racing Metro) shared the flyhalf duties in the 2007/08 season.
Du Toit hasn’t had any competition for the No 10 shirt this season and has been solid in combination with All Blacks scrumhalf Byron Kelleher. Skrela, however, is expected to start ahead of Du Toit (who still has a year to run on his Toulouse contract). Skrela, who’ll join Toulouse at the end of the season (June), has signed a three-year deal.
“I thought after Michalak and Dubois left that I would have the chance to prove myself here at Toulouse,” the 31-year-old Du Toit told keo.co.za. “But with Skrela coming the writing is probably on the wall for me.
“I won’t lay down though. I’ll fight to prove my worth here. I have between now and the end of the season to deliver performances that will make it very hard for the coaching staff to overlook me. But I have to realistic about things as well. I may move to a different team in Europe or look at my options back home [in South Africa]. The other option is to hang up my boots. It’s been a good innings for me and I wouldn’t look back with too many regrets if it all ended now.”
Du Toit has profited from marshalling a backline that is the envy of Europe. France internationals Florian Fritz, Yannick Jauzion, Vincent Clerc, Clément Poitrenaud, Cédric Heymans and Jean-Baptiste Élissalde all call Toulouse home. His foundation laying pack isn’t short of quality either, with the likes of Fabien Pelous, Thierry Dusautoir, Yannick Nyanga and countrymen Shaun Sowerby (currently the form No 8 in the Top 14) and Daan Human (who is having a superb campaign at prop) ensuring front foot ball.
Du Toit isn’t shackled by structure at Toulouse, whose coaching staff realise the value of giving him free reign. “Michalak could virtually do what he liked in matches, there were no restrictions and the coaching staff have given me the same freedom,” he said. ”
“In French rugby there’s generally a structured plan for first phase attack but from second phase onwards you play instinctively. It’s great and suits my strengths. In South Africa we are over-focused on structure, and that nullifies the impact some players may have. Frans Steyn is a perfect example of a player who is thriving under the Sharks coaching staff, who give him the licence to express himself.
“If they told him: ‘At this phase you do this, or, when you’re in this position do that’ it would completely destroy him. I think I’m the same in that way. The coaches here realise that I’m at my best when given that freedom. I wish I had that in South Africa. People would have seen a different player.”
Du Toit will line up against Skrela when the Toulouse face Stade Francais on 22 March. The match is particularly crucial for Stade if they hope to keep in touch with log leaders Toulouse and stay in the hunt for a play-off place.
By Ryan Vrede
18 Comments
10 Mar 2008, 11:05 am
“Look at my options back home”!!!!!
Who would sign him out of the bigger unions? Maybe Griquas would take him back.
10 Mar 2008, 11:19 am
Structure = “you’re too stupid to think for yourself, do it my way”
10 Mar 2008, 11:22 am
The **** Pump – Well right now there are no decent South African flyhalves in SA so he may well be in demand.
I always knew Gaffie would do well in France but he should have left after Mallet had lambasted him all those years ago, he could have become a great flyhalf for SA.
10 Mar 2008, 11:38 am
**** Pump????????????????????????
10 Mar 2008, 12:00 pm
Those comments do not inspire much faith in me.
10 Mar 2008, 12:01 pm
Gaffie … the Lions will gladly take you in. The Lions need an experienced no 10 to bring calm, stability and direction to their backline.
10 Mar 2008, 12:31 pm
Calm down Dawnie…
10 Mar 2008, 12:41 pm
“**** pump”
At least he’s not shy to admit it.
10 Mar 2008, 12:46 pm
This is an option for Loffie. I hope he is on the phone, because if Gaffie is on form he can be devastating, and his experience will be great for the youngsters to draw on.
10 Mar 2008, 12:54 pm
#9, I get the impression the GLRU will even miss Nick Evans walking past them with a large sign that says “Take me, I’m available.”.
I believe the Lions urgently need experience at 10, and someone like Gaffie can slot in at 11, 14 and 15 IF Andre P returns.
If the Lions had a player like this they could have taken the CC in 2007 and would have done better in the S14 thus far. It’s really what they need imo.
10 Mar 2008, 12:58 pm
Gafie du Toit is an excellent player.
Unfortunetely he was destroyed by Mallet.
Very fast of the mark. He has scored one of the best flyhalf tries -for Griquas anaginst Free State – I evere witnessed.
Massive boot and SUPERB passing skills to both sides.
BUT, he is 31 years old. Nearing the end of his career.
10 Mar 2008, 13:55 pm
I would like to see the player that moves from France to go live in Gauteng
10 Mar 2008, 13:59 pm
#12, for good money at 31 there will be takers.
10 Mar 2008, 15:29 pm
a wasted natural talent..
10 Mar 2008, 15:47 pm
You guys have got to be kidding me right? Gaffie du Toid “destoryed by Mallet”, “a wasted natural talent”, “on form he can be devestating”…??!?!?
Is it April 1st today or Monday the 10th of March, because I haven’t read something so funny in ages.
Gaffie du Toid has the mental fragility and toughness of Paris Hilton’s Chihuahua if suddenly left to fend for itself in the bush and confronted by a pack of hungry Hyenas.
This is a guy who’s big match temperment ranks right up there with ‘winners’ such as Wayne Ferreira, Elana Meyer and Tim Henman.
I’m not for a second suggesting that he didn’t have talent. I watched him play for Griquas when he was something like 19 or 20 and yes he set the world on fire….or more accurately, he set the Vodacom cup on fire… As soon as he was thurst into the big league with aggresive defenses he went to pieces – I saw this long before his and Dave von Hosselin’s disasterous test debut’s against NZ.
And all this boohoo-nancy-wancy cr*p about Mallet is so effing over played it makes me cringe. Yes Mallet publically lambasted Gaffie which wasn’t good – but it was hardly as bad as they make out.
And even if it was – grow an effing chin and get on with it!
Gaffie was given more chances than any player in the entire history of the game and lived on past reputation (reputation for ‘promise’ that is) far longer than any player I know.
He was a complete journeyman and mercenery and must surely hold the record for having played for more provinces in SA than any other player.
Far less talented players in numerous sports, not just rugby, have had disasterous debuts, been lambasted by coach, fans and media, and come back tougher and better for it!
The excuse that Mallet’s jibes crippled his carreer is I’m sorry to say nothing but soft-c*ck rubbish.
If you going to compete at the highest level of sport then mental toughness is one of the key attributes you need.
All things considered Gaffie has gone okay, but don’t make me laugh…
10 Mar 2008, 17:09 pm
the above piece is slightly incorrect – there is a no10 at toulouse valentin courrent – just from the games i have seen on tv, courrent has def started more times than gaffie.
cant blame skrela for moving – at stade francais he is competing with juan martin hernandez for the flyhalf jersey
11 Mar 2008, 01:23 am
He has been everywhere.Griquas,Province,Sharks,Cats,Cheetahs.
The Bulls are his next victim.
11 Mar 2008, 04:11 am
Gaffie … the Lions will gladly take you in. The Lions need an experienced no 10 to bring calm, stability and direction to their backline.
Comment by Katsesnor : March 10, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
Who would ever have thought that Gaffie would be described as ‘calm’ and ‘stable’? In Lion country it obviously doesn’t take much to be a ‘wenner’.
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