Deon Fourie is set to make his return from a knee injury when the Stormers host the All Blacks in the opening match of the Greatest Rivalry series in Cape Town on Friday.
The 39-year-old has been sidelined since May after sustaining the injury from a croc-roll by Ulster lock Iain Henderson in a URC match, subsequently undergoing surgery. "It's about 10 or 11 weeks after the operation. Fitness-wise, I'll probably only be able to tell you on Friday," Fourie said. "I am definitely raring to go, and it's a great opportunity."
Friday will mark only Fourie's second career outing against the All Blacks. The first came in Paris on 28 October 2023 — the Rugby World Cup Final — when he replaced the injured Bongi Mbonambi in the third minute and played 77 minutes of the Springboks' 12-11 win. "I can't remember much of those 77 minutes. It went by so quickly," he said. "You always hope that you can play against them again, but in the last two years I've had some bad luck with injuries."
Fourie made no secret of his broader ambitions, indicating that a strong performance against the All Blacks could serve as a case to Rassie Erasmus for further Test involvement. "You always want to wear the green and gold jersey. I've enjoyed the rugby just before my last injury. Hopefully, I can put in a good performance and put my hand up for one or two more Tests."