Fourie came back from injury to prove people wrong. Now he wants to stay fit enough to make next year's World Cup.
Deon Fourie will be 40 when the Springboks take on the Wallabies at the end of the month. Picture: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
Deon Fourie’s return to the Springbok setup “sparked a fire” in him to keep playing for the national team.
If his body holds up and he can still compete next year, he hopes to play in the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Drafted into the Bok squad after injuries, Fourie became the oldest-ever Springbok when he played against the All Blacks in their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test in Cape Town.
He also came off the bench in Soweto and Baltimore, where the Springboks beat the All Blacks 43-28 to wrap up the series 3-1.
That marked his 16th Test cap less than two weeks before his 40th birthday on 25 September.
Fourie out to prove people wrong
While head coach Rassie Erasmus described Fourie as their go-to man, someone they would “push the emergency button” for when needed, and scrum coach Daan Human called him one of the country’s top scrummagers, the veteran forward was excited about his potential future in the national setup.
“After the [2023] World Cup, I thought maybe I’ll play one or two more years,” Fourie said.
“But last year I was again invited to an alignment camp in Cape Town. That sparked a bit of fire in me to wear the green and gold again. But unfortunately, after that I broke my ankle.”
A string of injuries followed, including a career-threatening ACL, fractured tibia and torn bicep.
“The injuries piled up after that. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d wear the green and gold again. But I had a few good games at the end of the URC last year.
“My motivation was to get back onto the field and showcase that I still have rugby in me. All the criticism I get, usually from people out there, usually adds fuel to the fire for me, just to prove them wrong.”
Fourie turned in a strong performance for the Stormers during their hard-fought 38-21 defeat to the All Blacks last month. This earned him his long-awaited call-up.
He’s been used primarily as cover hooker for Malcolm Marx, though slotting in at flank when needed.
Disrupting birthday plans, targeting the World Cup
Decent performances may see him used in the one-off Test against the Wallabies in Perth two days after his birthday.
“My wife’s not too happy. She had plans a few months ago for my 40th. But that changed a bit,” Fourie chuckled.
“Luckily it’s an off-day because we’re only playing on the Sunday. I’m not sure yet what I’ll do. I have a few friends in Sydney who will probably fly over to Perth, maybe they can make it special for me.”
He said he’s taking it one game at a time but is still hopeful about next year’s World Cup.
“It’s still a long way away and a lot of games to be played before then. If the body holds up and I can still perform at the top level, why not?”
