The worst fears have been confirmed for a top Springboks star: an ACL injury that has ended his season, potentially impacting the latter stages of his career. Could this lead to his retirement?
Springbok loose forward Deon Fourie’s season came to an abrupt end due to a severe injury sustained during the URC. Questions are now arising about whether he might retire.
Deon Fourie, playing as a loose flanker for the Stormers, was stretchered off during their Champions Cup defeat to La Rochelle in April. Unfortunately, head coach John Dobson confirmed that the injury was severe, effectively ending Fourie’s season.
This raises the question: Was he referring to the entire 2024 rugby season or just the URC? Let’s delve deeper into Fourie’s future.
DEON FOURIE’S SPRINGBOK CAREER IN DOUBT
Tragically, Deon Fourie has suffered an ACL injury. Although Dobson was initially hopeful post-match that Fourie had avoided such a serious injury, it has now been confirmed. At 37 years old, Fourie faces a six-month recovery after undergoing surgery this Wednesday.
As a result, he will be sidelined until October, missing the Springboks-Ireland series and the Rugby Championship. Given his age, speculation about his retirement had already been circulating. Notably, Fourie played 78 minutes in the Rugby World Cup final, even finishing as captain. Retiring with a medal and such a distinguished end to his career might seem fitting.
However, Fourie is not ready to let his career end due to an injury.
STORMERS COACH CONFIDENT IN FOURIE’S RETURN
Despite the torn ACL and his age, Fourie’s determination remains strong. Dobson recently emphasized that Fourie will not end his career due to this setback.
“This is not how Deon Fourie’s career will end,” stated Dobson, the director of rugby, in an interview with SARugbyMag.
Thus, as it currently stands, Fourie is aiming to recover and rejoin the Springboks setup in time for the year-end tour. Meanwhile, over 20 Springbok Rugby World Cup winners, including captain Siya Kolisi and vice-captain Handre Pollard, along with Fourie, have been ruled out. This opens up the possibility for a new captain to be named for the Springboks.
