27 October 2026
DHL Stormers loose forward Deon Fourie faces another spell on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury, forcing him out of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster.
The veteran Springbok flanker recently fought his way back from major knee and bicep injuries to earn a national recall from Rassie Erasmus. This latest setback disrupts his momentum just as the Springboks prepare for their upcoming end-of-year tour. Medical assessments confirm the injury will not require surgery, offering a silver lining for the 39-year-old World Cup winner.
Stormers skills coach Labeeb Levy confirmed the selection blow during Tuesday’s press briefing. "He’s not playing this weekend, that we can guarantee," Levy said. "The hamstring is a tricky one. It’s normally four to six weeks, sometimes longer."
"From what I remember of the medical report, an operation wasn’t necessary, which is good, but obviously it needs conservative management and treatment as well as going through all the various rehab protocols," Levy added. "But he’s definitely not playing this weekend … and then the re-evaluation process will just take its course."
The four-to-six-week recovery timeline severely threatens Fourie's availability for South Africa's November Test schedule. Stormers management will monitor his progress weekly before clearing him for full contact training.