The Vodacom United Rugby Championship has been brilliant in allowing young talent to develop and impress, but there has been a beauty in how certain veterans of the game have played such impactful roles ushering in the youth and contributing to success.
The Vodacom United Rugby Championship has been brilliant in terms of allowing young talent a chance to consistently play at a high level, develop and impress national selectors. But there has been a beauty in how certain veterans of the game have played such impactful roles ushering in the youth and contributing to their respective teams’ success.
Fourie attributes his longevity to not having experienced serious injury problems, which speaks volumes to his conditioning given the combative nature of his role as the team’s turnover king. In a professional sporting climate that is obsessive over age, players like Fourie are proving in Vodacom URC that there is such value to be had in backing the experience of older players, granted they are physically primed and still performing. While they may not be around forever, the value of the one or two years that they spend helping a side to play-off positions, and schooling the next generation, is invaluable.
‘Coming back now, it is in a very different context to when I left. The Schalk Burgers and Francois Louws aren’t around anymore, but what you do have is a group of very energetic young guys, and “Dobbo” is doing a fantastic job of managing this dynamic,’ says Fourie. ‘I am loving the pace of the game in the league and the very different styles of the opposition. I am also loving the energy of the youngsters.
That match gave way to a break of almost eight weeks and apparently time off was all the DHL Stormers required.