How Fourie’s fairytale Bok return threw a spanner into his wife’s preps

Deon Fourie’s fairytale return to the Springbok team had one downside — he ruined his wife’s plans for his 40th birthday party later this month.

The versatile flank-cum-hooker will be on national duty for the one-off Test against Australia in Perth on September 27, two days after he hits the “Big Four-Oh”.

“My wife’s not too happy,” Fourie said in a video call with journalists from the team hotel in Baltimore this week.

“She had a few plans a few months ago for my 40th, but ja, that changed a bit.”

Fourie has already worked out that his birthday will fall on a Bok rest day. “I’ve got a few friends in Sydney [and] they’re probably going to fly over to Perth and maybe they can make it special for me.”

My wife’s not too happy. She had a few plans a few months ago for my 40th, but ja, that changed a bit — Dean Fourie, Springboks flank-cum-hooker

The father of two earned his call-up with a standout performance for the Stormers in the tour opener against the All Blacks early last month.

“It was Sunday. I was at the house having a beer with a couple of the Stormers guys, and Rassie [Erasmus] sent me a message asking if I’d like the chance to join the group,” said Fourie, who at 39 overtook Victor Matfield as the oldest Springbok in the second Test against the All Blacks in Cape Town.

“It came out of the blue because it was my first match back after my knee [injury] and I didn’t expect to catch his attention so quickly.”

His nickname is “Brannas”, because Erasmus once saw him pouring himself a Klippies and Coke, but recently Bok captain Siya Kolisi jokingly started calling him “Oupa”.

After helping the Boks win the 2023 World Cup, where he played most of the final at hooker, he assumed his days of international rugby were over. “I thought maybe just play one or two more years, but then I think it was last year I got invited again to an alignment camp in Cape Town, and that sparked a bit of fire in me to wear the green and gold again.

“But unfortunately after that I broke my leg ... and then the injuries just piled up after that. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d wear the green and gold again.”

After tearing a biceps tendon in October last year, Fourie thought he was finally done, but his son Jamie gave him some unexpected motivation.

“I was thinking it must be the end, but I got some motivation in a funny way from my son while I was lying in bed, telling me it’s not the end,” said Fourie, who shed a tear while singing the anthem ahead of the third Test in Soweto.

“After the World Cup, when I watched the Boks sing the anthem, it was always an emotional thing to see. Last week with 90,000 people, it was just an unbelievable atmosphere. I saw my mother and her sister and her two children in the stands, so it was a hugely emotional day. It’s always an honour, and I never take it for granted.”

Fourie brings rare versatility, but he plays it down. “There’s not really much difference between the two and six — it’s just the scrums and lineouts.”

If Fourie has learnt one thing in the past few years, it’s not to look too far down the road.

Asked if he had designs on the 2027 World Cup in Australia, he replied: “I’m taking it game by game. It’s still a long way out, but ja, if the body holds up and I can still perform at top level, ja, why not?”