Springbok stalwart Du Toit to leave Japanese club with immediate effect

CAPE TOWN, Nov 6 - Two-time World Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit is the latest South African international to announce a departure from Japan and will be leaving Toyota Verblitz with immediate effect, the club announced on Friday.

• Du Toit, who was named the world's best player in 2019 and 2024, asked for early termination of his contract after spending the past five seasons at Verblitz

• The 34-year-old forward, who was part of the Springboks' World Cup-winning teams in 2019 and 2023, said in a club statement that he did not want to travel back and forth between South Africa and Japan during the upcoming season while his family remained in South Africa

• "While Pieter-Steph du Toit was still under contract with the club, the player and Toyota Verblitz engaged in extensive discussions regarding his future... both parties mutually agreed to part ways," said a club statement

• Bok teammates Manie Libbok and Malcolm Marx will leave Japanese club rugby when the season ends next June and have already signed for provincial franchises in South Africa

• Cheslin Kolbe and Kwagga Smith have already returned to South Africa from their respective stints in Japan's League One REUTERS