Deon Fourie called up to Springbok squad for All Blacks series

Deon Fourie has been selected for the Springbok squad for the upcoming series against the All Blacks. The call-up follows his performance for the Stormers in their recent match against the New Zealand side.

During that fixture at Cape Town Stadium, the Stormers held the world number two ranked team to a 14-14 draw before eventually losing 38-21. Fourie played for 61 minutes during the encounter. His defensive statistics included 14 completed tackles with only one missed, alongside two turnovers which were the highest in the match.

Stormers director of rugby John Dobson praised the flanker's work rate, specifically noting his ability to make three tackles within a 15-second period, two of which prevented tries. Dobson also highlighted the player's resilience while returning from significant injury.

Fourie has earned 13 Test caps since his international debut in 2022 at age 35. His last appearance for South Africa was as a hooker during the 2023 World Cup final, where he played 77 minutes from the bench. He will turn 40 years old on 25 September.

His recent period has been marked by several physical setbacks. Since his last Test appearance, he has dealt with a serious bicep injury, an ankle issue, and a serious knee injury. Most recently, he suffered knee ligament damage in May following a challenge by Ulster's Iain Henderson.