Neethling Fouché is set to make his 100th appearance for the DHL Stormers in their upcoming Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against the Lions on Saturday at the DHL Stadium at 15:30 (SA Time).
Fouché has become a key player for the Stormers since joining the team in 2017, known for his strong scrummaging and work rate.
“In 2016, I was on the verge of stopping rugby. I was in a very low place. I spoke to my girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife, and she told me to keep going. My parents said the same. I stayed on for another season, and that’s when things started to fall into place again, eventually leading me to the Stormers.”
“If I’m honest, the first thing I do is thank Jesus for giving me the opportunity to play rugby. It’s a privilege to do what I love. I’ve wanted to play rugby since I was a laaitie, playing mini-rugby. To sit here now is quite unbelievable.”
“To do it at home, in front of friends and family, is really special. It feels like a long time since we played there, and we’re all excited to be back.”
Fouche credited former Stormers prop Brok Harris as well as Springbok stars Steven Kitshoff and Malherbe on his development.
“A lot of credit must go to Brocky. He gets everyone to buy in. It’s never one guy – it’s an eight-man effort. We weren’t scrumming badly; it was about fine-tuning to take us to the next level.”
“Training against Frans and ‘Schips’ every day was brutal, but it made me better. I’d walk off feeling finished, but I’d always ask questions. They were never shy to share their knowledge.”
Reflecting on his late Springbok debut, which came against Georgia in July, Fouche said perseverance defined his journey.
“For some of us, a dream like playing for the Springboks happens early, but mostly for tightheads it happens later in life. You really have to pay your school fees. In those first couple of seasons, you get scrummed backwards more than you go forward, but you just keep working and refining the art and the skill of it.”
“For me, playing for the Springboks in my thirties makes it so much sweeter because I waited a really long time and worked hard for it. Getting there made the day very special. And once you are in camp, you just want to get back as soon as you can.”