Once merely known as Frans Malherbe’s body double, Neethling Fouche has finally stepped into the limelight, making his Springbok debut in a crushing 54-7 victory over the Barbarians at Cape Town Stadium. At 32, Fouche is no rookie to the sport, but stepping onto that pitch as a Bok was a childhood dream turned reality. “I know it’s a cliché, but you dream of it from when you start playing junior rugby,” Fouche recounted with a glint in his eye.
The match, despite its exhibition nature, was no walk in the park. “Yes, it was a Barbarians game, but it felt like a Test match. I know the score was high, but it was still very physical out there,” he explained. Fouche feels deeply embedded in the current narrative of the Springboks, a story shaped by the strategic mind of Coach Rassie Erasmus. “Where the Springboks are at the moment, to be able to be part of this story with Coach Rassie and the team, it’s unbelievable,” he added.
"There’s a saying in Afrikaans: dieplekker. It’s not lekker, it’s dieplekker,"
The entire week leading up to the game was a whirlwind for Fouche, culminating in an emotional rendition of the national anthem, surrounded by his family who had traveled all the way from Rustenburg to see him play. The game also had its moments of levity, especially as Fouche focused keenly on not repeating his teammate Asa's infamous tumble during their entrance. "Firstly, I just didn’t want to fall running out on the field like my prop mate, Asa!" he joked.
Fouche's road to wearing the green and gold was anything but smooth, marked by injuries and years spent in the shadow of stalwarts like Malherbe. “I’ve had a bit of a grondpad [rough road] to get here,” said the Grey College alum, who spent the first several years post-school more injured than not, mostly recognized only as a stunt double for Malherbe.
Now, with the Stormers and a Bok camp call-up under his belt, he’s become a key player, a transformation from understudy to leader. The upcoming matches against Italy and Georgia are more than fixtures on a calendar; they represent Fouche's continued journey under the tutelage of scrum guru Daan Human. With Malherbe sidelined by a back injury, Fouche's role is more crucial than ever as Erasmus looks ahead to the 2027 World Cup. “The last two-and-a-half weeks were tough, but it’s also good to get through it, it gives you confidence,” Fouche noted, ready for whatever challenge comes next.
"Every week Coach Daan gives you a challenge, which makes you better, and I’m looking forward to this week’s challenge,"
As the Boks gear up for their next encounters, Fouche, with his newfound prominence and a clear path ahead, is eager to leave his mark, one scrum at a time.