Western Province coach Labeeb Levy says veteran Springbok utility forward Deon Fourie will play an important mentorship role in his young Currie Cup squad.
The 38-year-old, who suffered a broken tibia against Connacht in the Vodacom URC in April, has recovered and been named on the bench for Saturday’s clash with the Pumas at Cape Town Stadium.
While there was speculation that Fourie could retire, he signed a one-year contract extension with the Stormers.
WP are bottom of the Currie Cup log after five straight defeats.
Fourie will make his 99th appearance for Province, with his 100th set to come in next week’s Western Cape derby against the Boland Cavaliers. But Levy says his value goes far beyond numbers.
“Brannas has been good for the group,” he explained. “We can use him as an example of someone who has played at the pinnacle and captained Western Province [to Currie Cup victory in 2012].
“He was also involved in the URC win [in 2021-22], and he is a World Cup winner. We could lean on his expertise to keep the group positive, which is important.”
Levy said Fourie has already brought fresh ideas into training.
“He’s come up with some of his own ideas for the game. We want the group to tap into that experience, composure and dealing with pressure. You can’t buy that.”
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The coach believes that WP’s youngsters, including their Junior Boks, will learn a lot from the veteran.
“You have 18-year-olds like Riley [Norton] and Oliver [Reid] that can benefit from that. People will pay money to play with Brannas, or for that experience, and here they are getting that opportunity. They are relishing it, and it’s happening naturally.
“It is still a team game, and it won’t be him alone getting that [Currie Cup] win. It will require a team effort,” he added.
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Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
The post ‘People will pay money to play with Brannas’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Western Province coach Labeeb Levy says veteran Springbok utility forward Deon Fourie will play an important mentorship role in his young Currie Cup squad.
The post ‘People will pay money to play with Brannas’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
