Ardie Savea Names Pieter-Steph du Toit as His Toughest-Ever Opponent

• All Blacks star Ardie Savea singled out one Springbok forward above all others when asked about his toughest career opponent
• The player Savea named has won the World Rugby Player of the Year award twice and played a key role in 2 World Cup triumphs
• Savea and his pick have clashed in some of rugby's biggest matches, including the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in Paris

All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea has named Springbok powerhouse Pieter-Steph du Toit as the toughest opponent he has faced throughout his international career, offering what amounts to a significant tribute from one of rugby's elite forwards.

Savea had earlier in the week made a blunt admission after New Zealand’s 33-26 defeat to the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday, 29 August 2026

He made his Test debut for New Zealand in 2016 and has since cemented his place among the finest forwards of his generation. His capacity to play across the back row, combined with his physicality at the breakdown and his high-intensity workload, has consistently made him one of the most difficult players to contain in world rugby. He was crowned World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year following a standout individual campaign at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

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Why Du Toit stands above the rest

When asked to identify the hardest opponent he had come up against, Savea did not deliberate. He pointed directly to Du Toit, the towering Springbok who has been a cornerstone of South Africa's forward dominance across the past decade.

Standing at 2 metres tall, Du Toit operates primarily from blindside flanker and brings together the size of a lock with the mobility and aerobic capacity more typically associated with an openside. His defensive ferocity and relentless work rate have made him a defining figure in the Springbok system under coach Rassie Erasmus.

Du Toit was first named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2019 and claimed the award a second time in 2024, becoming only the fourth men's player in history to win the honour on more than one occasion. He has also been central to South Africa's back-to-back Rugby World Cup victories in 2019 and 2023.

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Two giants, one fierce rivalry

Savea and Du Toit have repeatedly met in high-stakes Test rugby, most notably in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in Paris, where South Africa defeated New Zealand 12-11 in one of the most closely contested finals in the tournament's history.

Both players have been instrumental in shaping the New Zealand versus South Africa rivalry, widely regarded as one of the most compelling contests in international sport. That Savea, a World Rugby Player of the Year himself, reserves his highest praise for Du Toit speaks to the Springbok's standing at the very top of the game.

Springboks veteran earns new nickname after All Blacks battle

Briefly News previously reported that Siya Kolisi had a special message for veteran Springbok Deon Fourie after South Africa’s 33-26 victory over the All Blacks in Cape Town.

Kolisi revealed the affectionate nickname the squad now uses for the 39-year-old, while praising Fourie’s hunger and determination after he was thrust into the starting line-up at short notice.

Source: Briefly News