Another Springbok opportunity has ‘lit the fire’ in 38-year-old Deon Fourie

Stormers and Springbok veteran Deon Fourie admitted his invitation to last week’s Bok alignment camp has lit a fire in him and he will be putting his body on the line over the rest of the United Rugby Championship (URC) to try play himself into the national team mix come the start of the international season.

Fourie has already defied logic on numerous occasions, like when he became the oldest Springbok debutant at the age of 35, when he played against Wales in Bloemfontein in July 2022.

And, just over a year later when he was included in the Bok World Cup squad, followed by him coming on in just the third minute of the final for the injured Bongi Mbonambi, and became a World Cup winner at the age of 37.

Beating the odds

Now, just a few months shy of his 39th birthday, he is once again beating the odds as it looks like he may feature at some stage of the coming season for the Boks.

After his fairytale World Cup campaign it was thought that Fourie’s short but sweet stint with the Boks was over, after he didn’t feature for them at all in 2024.

However, his invitation to the first alignment camp of the season has opened that door, and if Erasmus follows through with his plan to give every player in their Bok planning group game time, Fourie may just add to his 13 caps.

Where he may be included will be at the start of the season in July when the Boks welcome Italy and Georgia to South Africa for their incoming series.

The Bok management group may use this window to give a number of their more senior players, who have endured heavy workloads over the past year, some valuable time off, and back a fringe squad featuring some exciting up and coming youngsters. Fourie, as an old hand, could feature among this group.

Surprise call-up

“I was on the bus. We had just arrived in Joburg for the Stormers game against the Lions when I heard. I must say I was quite surprised,” said Fourie earlier this week about his call-up to the Bok camp.

“I really didn’t expect to have that honour again. Being there and hearing what the plans are for the year definitely lit that fire again. So hopefully I can be involved going forward.”

Fourie admitted that it was not only him, but a whole host of players that would be fired up for the coming URC games, as they look to continue impressing the Bok management after being part of the alignment camp.

“We have just come out of an alignment camp, which was attended by over 50 guys. So that is quite a lot of players who will have been provided with the extra motivation of knowing they are in the Bok plans and have something to play for,” said Fourie.

“There was a lot discussed and learned at the alignment camp and the players will take that back to their unions.

“I am sure everyone will have been motivated by having been at the alignment camp and all the players who were there will have seen that as an indication that they have something extra to play for.”