Deon Fourie looks set to make a timely return from injury to tackle the All Blacks once again.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 39-year-old has recovered from the latest of his torrid run of injuries and says he is \u2018raring to go\u2019 for the showdown against Dave Rennie\u2019s charges.<\/p>\n
Fourie\u2019s career has been a story of resilience and defiance, becoming the oldest player to debut for the Springboks<\/a> \u2013 doing so against Wales at the age of 35 in 2022. He was overlooked earlier in his career after being told that he was too small to be a Bok loose forward and eventually packed his bags for France, where he had stints with Lyon and Grenoble.<\/p>\n However, he returned to South Africa in 2021 and, after helping the Stormers win the inaugural United Rugby Championship, earned his call-up to the Springboks squad. He went on to claim a place in the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad, where he enjoyed a greater role than perhaps he would have ever predicted as he played 77 minutes of the final following the injury to Bongi Mbonambi.<\/p>\n Injury setbacks and raring to go again<\/p>\n He produced a heroic defensive shift from the hooker position, with an injured shoulder, to help defend their title.<\/p>\n However, the last 28 months have been far more cruel to Fourie<\/a> who suffered a major ACL injury more than two years ago. When he regained his fitness, he managed just four matches before picking up an ankle issue and then suffered a serious bicep injury in his first game back.<\/p>\n Despite assumptions that would be the final straw, Fourie relented, recovered and played six times for the Stormers before his next setback, ligament damage during the clash against Ulster after a croc-roll by Iain Henderson.<\/p>\n Again, there were doubts but the World Cup winner has worked tirelessly to return to match fitness and is in line to tackle the All Blacks<\/a> yet again, this time wearing the colours of his beloved Stormers.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about 10 or 11 weeks after the operation. Fitness-wise, I\u2019ll probably only be able to tell you on Friday,\u201d a smiling Foruie told reporters on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cI am definitely raring to go, and it\u2019s a great opportunity. I was looking forward to this match since it was announced a year or two ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust to represent your club,\u00a0where I\u2019ve spent almost my entire career,\u00a0against a Test side like the All Blacks is such a big occasion.\u00a0To face the Haka is something every little boy dreams of when they start playing rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n Rassie Erasmus issues Frans Malherbe update amid concerns of Springboks great\u2019s retirement<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n All Blacks legend: We\u2019ve tried to beat the Springboks at their superpowers, Dave Rennie has changed that<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 2023 World Cup final and Springboks ambitions<\/p>\n Commenting on his heroics in the final, he added: \u201cI can\u2019t remember much of those 77 minutes. It went by so quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou always hope that you can play against them again, but in the last two years I\u2019ve had some bad luck with injuries. I didn\u2019t know if I would still be able to play this year, but fortunately everything went well, and I will get an opportunity to face the Haka again.<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2023, when everything went past so quickly, you almost forget what it felt like, and to relive that feeling again will be nice.\u201d<\/p>\n