CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - MARCH 11: Deon Fourie during the DHL Stormers training session and pitchside interviews at High Performance Centre on March 11, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
Experienced loose forward Deon Fourie said the north-south derby against the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday (kick-off 2pm) is a great game to return from injury.
The teams clash in the season’s final South African United Rugby Championship local derby, with the Stormers already set for a worst-place finish on the SA Shield table and the Bulls out to avoid the same fate.
Meanwhile, a bonus-point win could lift the Stormers from fifth to second on the overall table, while the Bulls could climb to seventh or drop out of the top eight and out of play-off contention if they lose.
The teams have a fierce rivalry in the URC, with their last three matches going to the wire: 33-32 (Bulls), 19-16 and 13-8 (both Stormers).
The Stormers’ nine-two URC win record against the Bulls includes victories in the 2022 final and 2023 quarter-final.
‘I like to prove people wrong’
Fourie earned his 100th Stormers cap in that 2022 final and produced a masterclass at the breakdown in the 2023 play-off.
But the 39-year-old former Springbok has been out of action for almost two years due to ACL, fractured tibia and torn bicep injuries.
He said there were “a lot of emotions” after the last injury, and he admitted he considered the voices saying it was time to retire.
“But I like to prove people wrong. I’ll keep pushing myself to do that,” he said ahead of the Bulls clash.
“I’m feeling fresh. Next month it will be exactly two years since the injuries started. I’m grateful to be back. I worked hard, and credit to the physios and management for getting me back.”
He joked that only playing five matches in that time perhaps turned his age back.
Deon Fourie eager for return against Bulls
The Stormers loose forward said it was “always special” playing against the Bulls.
“All the history involved in that and the times I’ve played against them. It’s a great time to come back. [This derby] brings the best out of every player… That’s why we play, for games like this.”
He said he had trained hard to be fit, and thought he was. But game fitness and running fitness were different things and he would have to see.
“There’s a bit of altitude at Loftus as well. Luckily, we’ve got a class player on the bench in Paul de Villiers who can step in and do even better.”
Fourie said the Stormers had shot themselves in the foot by going off-script in recent matches. Now after three defeats in a row, they had gone back to basics in training.
“We need that W again,” he said. “We’d like to get back on the winning streak with three home games coming up.”
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