The Late Bloomer Who Made His Mark
Johann Neethling Fouché, born on January 10, 1993, is a South African rugby union player who currently represents the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship and Western Province in the Currie Cup. At 32 years old, standing 1.89m tall and weighing 120kg, Fouché exemplifies the modern tighthead prop – a position requiring both technical expertise and raw power.
Early Career and Development
Fouché’s rugby journey began at primary school level when he was called up by the Leopards for the 2006 Under-13 Craven Week competition. His talent was evident early, as he represented the Leopards again in 2009 for their Under-16 Grant Khomo Week side. A significant move to Bloemfontein in 2010 to complete his schooling at Grey College proved pivotal, where he represented Free State in the Under-18 Craven Week tournaments in both 2010 and 2011.
The young prop’s international potential was recognized early when he was included in a South African Under-18 High Performance squad that played matches against France, England and Namibia in 2010.
Professional Beginnings
After moving to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls, Fouché appeared in seven of the Blue Bulls U19 side’s matches during the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship. His first-class debut came on March 8, 2014, playing off the bench in the Blue Bulls’ 2014 Vodacom Cup First Round match against Griquas.
Fouché also had the opportunity to represent UP Tuks in the Varsity Cup, a highly competitive university rugby tournament, further honing his skills before making the leap to professional rugby.
The Stormers Era
Following his stint with the Blue Bulls, Fouché made a significant move to join the Stormers for the 2018 Super Rugby season. This transition marked a turning point in his career, as it was with the Stormers that he made his Super Rugby debut, impressing with his powerful scrummaging and physicality in the forward pack.
The move to Cape Town proved transformative for more than just his playing style. Fouché admits that “scrumming wasn’t something that I took very seriously” in his youth, but “it wasn’t until I went to the Stormers [in 2017] that I began to take it seriously”. This shift in mindset has been crucial to his development as a world-class tighthead prop.
A New Philosophy
Fouché didn’t always embrace the technical aspects of scrummaging. In his youth, he was a “freewheeling, ball-carrying, rampaging prop” who “just wanted to get down there and get the ball out as quickly as possible”. However, his evolution into a scrummaging specialist has been remarkable.
His transformation is evident in his changed dreams: “I used to dream of running into space, knocking guys over, scoring tries for the Boks. Now, when I close my eyes and imagine wearing that green jersey, I’m squatting low down, with my shoulder next to my hooker and me ready to get stuck into the oke in front of me”.
International Recognition
The now 31-year-old tighthead is playing the best rugby of his career in 2024, with his form being rewarded by Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus, who called him to an ‘alignment’ camp earlier this year. This recognition came after years of consistent performance, particularly training and competing with Bok stalwart Frans Malherbe week-in, week-out which has seen Fouché take his game to the next level.
The culmination of his career came in July 2024 when Fouché made his Springbok debut, becoming visibly emotional as tears streamed down his face during the singing of the national anthem before South Africa’s 55-10 win over Georgia.
Personal Values and Legacy
At 32, Fouché has never lost sight of the “bigger picture” beyond the rugby field, thanks to lessons learned from his parents. His parents taught him values like finishing every plate of food and helping others, setting an example of generosity despite never having much themselves.
From an injury-plagued junior player whose career struggled to take flight after school, Fouché’s journey to his first Springbok alignment camp at 31 wasn’t how he had envisioned his rugby career progressing. However, his perseverance and dedication to continuous improvement have made him a testament to the rewards of persistence in professional rugby.
Neethling Fouché’s story is one of transformation – from a promising but injury-prone junior to a world-class tighthead prop who earned his Springbok colors through dedication, technical excellence, and an unwavering commitment to improvement.
