Sport | Stormers fend off overseas interest to secure long-term deal with stalwart prop Neethling Fouche

Neethling Fouche scores a try for the Stormers in a URC game against the Lions at Cape Town Stadium on 21 December, 2024. (Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)

• The Stormers have secured the services of tighthead prop Neethling Fouche until at least 2028.
• Several overseas clubs expressed interest in the 32-year-old, but he chose to stay in Cape Town as he believes it gives him the best chance of representing the Springboks.
• Fouche joined the Stormers from the Bulls in 2018 and has played more than a century of games for the Stormers and WP combined.
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The Stormers have secured a contract extension with experienced tighthead prop Neethling Fouche.

The Cape franchise announced on Tuesday that the 32-year-old had put pen to paper on a new three-year contract until 2028. 

Fouche, who joined the Stormers from the Bulls in 2018, has earned 88 Stormers caps and 36 for Western Province.

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Fouche, who has developed a reputation as a strong scrummager, had significant interest from overseas clubs but he hopes staying at the Stormers will help him realise his dream of playing for the Springboks.

“Neethling is an incredible team man and, as a tighthead prop, is coming into his prime, so we are looking forward to even bigger things from him,” said Stormers director of rugby John Dobson.

“He competes with one of the greatest ever tightheads, Frans Malherbe, and keeps pushing his standards, so it is understandable that many other teams would love to have a player of Neethling’s stature in their squad.

“He is another player that has completely bought into the project here and plays a key role in helping develop the next generation of front-row stars, so we are thrilled to have him on our books for another three years.”

Fouche grew up in Rustenburg and first made his mark when he played junior rugby for the Leopards. However, he moved to Grey College in Bloemfontein at the age of 16 and then starred for Free State at the Craven Week in 2010 and 2011. He remained in the Cheetahs structures after school, before moving to the Bulls in 2014.

But he’s happy to now call himself a Capetonian.

“Every time I put on the Stormers jersey I get quite emotional. This team means the world to me, and I honestly don’t want to play my rugby anywhere else,” Fouche said.

“Driving into work and staring at Table Mountain, I don’t know where else you can get that.

“I have rubbed shoulders with some legends of the game here and will keep pushing myself to improve.

“This squad has the potential to achieve great things, we are only at the beginning.”