Veteran Springbok loose forward Deon Fourie has stepped back onto the training paddock marking a remarkable return for the Stormers after a brutal two-year battle with injuries.
The 39-year-old World Cup winner is in line to face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday in the United Rugby Championship, a fixture steeped in rivalry and raw physicality.
Speaking after a punishing training session in Bellville where temperatures soared close to 40 degrees, Fourie reflected on a journey that tested both body and spirit.
“Yeah, feeling fresh,” Fourie said.
“I think next month, almost exactly two years ago, I started the injury route. I’m back now and I’m very, very grateful to be back. I worked hard and credit to the physios and management that got me lucky.”
The comeback has not been straightforward. After reconstructive knee surgery, Fourie managed four matches before another injury struck. Further setbacks followed, including ankle and biceps problems.
“After my ACL I did four games and then my ankle, then one game and then my biceps,” he explained.
The timing of his return adds extra spice. The Stormers travel north to confront their oldest rivals in Pretoria, a fixture that traditionally carries the intensity of a final whistle sprint to the try line.
“It’s always special,” Fourie said. “Playing against the Bulls, all the history involved in that and all the times I’ve played against them. It’s a great game to come back to. It gets the best out of everyone.”
Fourie admits match sharpness will only return through competition.
“Game fitness and running fitness aren’t the same,” he said.
“But after this week in 40 degrees for two days I think I’ll be fine. We’ll see. It’s up at Loftus with a bit of altitude as well, but luckily we’ve got a great player in Paul de Villiers on the bench who can step in.”
The mental battle proved as demanding as the physical recovery. At one stage Fourie even considered hanging up his boots.
“Especially the last injury it was quite tough.
“There were a lot of emotions and a lot of questions running through my mind. But that was always my motto. I like to prove people wrong.”
His immediate goal remains simple.
“My first objective is to get through the first game injury free and do it well. Then we’ll see how the body is. In two years I’ve only played about five games so maybe my age turned back two years. So, I’m only 38 now,” he quipped.
For the Stormers, the match carries additional urgency after three consecutive defeats.
“It’s important for morale and confidence,” Fourie said.
“You need that W again. The frustrating thing the last three weeks was the quality of how we played. We’ll try to rectify that this weekend.”
The derby promises the type of bruising contest that defines South African rugby. Fourie understands the mental toll such encounters demand.
“Eighty percent of a game like this is mental,” he said. “You have to make peace with it. It’s going to hurt and it’s going to be sore. But that’s why we play rugby and that’s why we love it.”
As the Stormers prepare for the thunder of Loftus, Fourie is ready to dive into the collision zone once more, doing what he does best and that is hunting the ball at the breakdown.
