Fourie, finding a lease on life, ready for first Test at hooker

Deon Fourie is in for an early birthday gift. His big celebration is on September 25 but before that he will have reason to cheer when he makes his first start at hooker for the Springboks when they play Romania in their Rugby World Cup clash in Bordeaux on Sunday.

At the age of 37 he’s no Lucy Jordan and he will happily forego a sports car in Paris for the opportunity to lift the Webb Ellis Cup there on October 28.

First things first, though. He has had to reacquaint himself with a position he has not played in since 2018.

He’s hoping to get seamlessly back in the saddle.

“In 2014 when I came to France, I came to play hooker. Second year I was flank, third year I was hooker again, then I moved to flank again. I’ve been in and out with hooker training, but hopefully it’s like riding a bike. If I get the opportunity to play there I can just jump back on,” he said.

“I’ve never tasted it [playing hooker] at Test match level, that’s the reality. I've been training there for two years now with the Boks.”

Fourie has played an integral part in the Stormers’ success story over the past two seasons. He has found a second lease on life and it is taking him places. He can’t quite explain why his second wind has given him more oomph than the first.

“I can’t put my finger on why I still feel good and still can run with the young guys. I did gymnastics for nine years and I’m not the biggest guy doing all the weights in the gym — probably I can write it up to those two.”

Crouched at the ruck in exacting a steal is pretty much the lingering image that has helped propel Fourie in the estimation of the coaches and selectors who matter.

On the eve of their RWC quarterfinal against the Springboks in Paris in 1999, former England flank Neil Back was endearingly described by a former coach as performing his primary role crouched like a pig farmer perennially with his hands in the sh*t, and Fourie, it has to be said, is not averse to rolling up his sleeves.

He’s ready to throw at his jumpers and whatever Romania darts his way.

“They’re playing against the previous World Cup champions. They’ll want to prove to themselves and to their country they still are a good team and they’ve got good players.

“They’ll definitely come out with pride and energy to put their marker down,” he said about Romania.

“You could see it in their first game against Ireland. There were some big hits and especially those first five minutes when they scored that first try, you can see they’re a proud and passionate bunch of guys. It definitely showed in the first game and I think they’ll carry that through all their games,” he said.

The Bok brief this week is simple. They need to stay true to what makes them tick.

“Credit to management because that is one of the big focus points this week. To stay in our structure. Don’t throw balls behind our backs to each other. We are in a stage now in the competition where things have to start working,” he said about replicating what they train on match day.

Though Fourie was named in the Bok World Cup squad more than a month ago the reality of him playing in the tournament only hit him last week.

“It didn’t really sink in until we got those medals at the [welcoming] ceremony. Then you realise you are in this thing. It was a really proud moment for me.”