Tightheads & Loose Balls

● Asked whether he would have preferred to be part of the Springboks’ elite advance party that travelled to New Zealand ahead of next week’s Test against the All Blacks, Pieter-Steph du Toit was quite clear. “I want to play every game. It is always a massive honour to play for the Springboks," said Du Toit who now considers himself more a flank than a lock. “I would love to say I’m a flank. I still have a few things to learn, I’ll play where the team needs me. If I have to go play lock again I’ll put my head down and say ‘this is my job, do it right’. Hopefully I’ll be able to play flank again.”

● “I just want to ask you about your contract at Western Province,” a reporter this week asked Du Toit after the Bok flank concluded an interview with reporters on Sunday publications.

The player agreed but was soon too uneasy to talk to the reporter. “Earlier this year there was a lot of nonsense being written about Western Province,” said Du Toit. A little red-faced, the reporter owned up. “Ya, I wrote most of that.” ● Earlier at the Springbok team announcement the same reporter found himself in a rather confusing conversation with Rynhardt Elstadt that centred around the player’s time at Toulouse. “I spoke to JP the other day,” said the reporter. “Is he your brother?” enquired Elstadt frowning because the name of the person he was thinking of had escaped him.

“No, he’s not related to JP Nel,” a third party chimed in. “No, I’m talking about a journalist in Cape Town ,” said Elstadt.

“I was talking about JP Pietersen,” said the reporter, amid much shaking of heads.

● Tightheads attended the memorial in honour of James Small at the Wanderers Rugby Club last week. A large number of the fallen wing’s World Cup-winning teammates were in attendance but the captain of that team, Francois Pienaar, was conspicuous by his absence. One acid tongued reporter was heard mumbling: “Maybe he wanted an appearance fee.” ● Wallabies prop Harry Johnson Holmes was so engaged with his chicken schnitzel last Tuesday he missed a couple of calls from coach Michael Cheika. smh.com.au reports he called back not knowing who was looking for him, only to be told to go home and pack his bags for Jozi.