Sharks to lose Bok prop Thomas du Toit to English club

The Sharks will lose the services of versatile Springbok prop Thomas du Toit to English Premiership club Bath after this year's Rugby World Cup.

The 27-year-old Du Toit, who started off as a loosehead prop before moving to the other side of the scrum with a fair degree of success, has been capped 15 times by the Boks.

Du Toit has faced stiff competition at the Boks, with Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, and Vincent Koch being the preferred scrum anchors.

Du Toit has been with the Sharks since matriculating from Paarl Boys High in 2013 and is highly rated by Bath's South African coach Johann van Graan.

"Thomas is a winner. He has experience of winning at the highest level, having reached the pinnacle of world rugby with the Springboks," said the former Springbok assistant coach on the club's official website.

"He is a world-class operator at scrum time. There are not many players in the world who can play on both sides of the scrum to an international standard, maintain control, and have destructive power.

"He is another player we have added to our squad who also possesses fantastic carrying ability to get his side over the gain-line."

?? We are pleased to announce Rugby World Cup-winning international tighthead prop Thomas du Toit will be joining Bath Rugby next season!Welcome to the Blue, Black and White, Thomas. ??????

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Du Toit, who boasts more than a century of Super Rugby/United Rugby Championship games for the Sharks, expressed his excitement at joining Van Graan.

"When I spoke to Johann and heard his vision for Bath, I was excited and knew it was the place I wanted to be," Du Toit said.

"I want to challenge myself and develop my game in an environment that has a desire to progress