Deon Fourie hamstring injury rules hooker out of Ulster clash as Bok squad looms

Deon Fourie's hamstring injury comes in the week Rassie Erasmus is expected to name his Springbok squad for the end-of-year Nations Championship tour. The Stormers say this kind of injury normally keeps a player out for four to six weeks, and sometimes longer.

Stormers assistant coach Labeeb Levy confirmed on Tuesday 27 October that the hooker, who plays for both the Stormers and the Springboks, will miss the URC match against Ulster on Saturday 31 October. "He's not playing this weekend, that we can guarantee," Levy said.

There was some good news. Levy said the medical report showed Fourie did not need an operation. He will have conservative treatment and rehab before he is re-evaluated. Levy still called the hamstring a tricky injury.

A long Springbok injury list

If Fourie is ruled out, he would join a long list of Springboks who are already injured. Handre Pollard, Eben Etzebeth, Andre Esterhuizen, Cheslin Kolbe, RG Snyman and Kwagga Smith are all on it.

Stormers short of hookers

The Stormers have their own problem at hooker, which we reported in our earlier story on the club's hooker injuries. The South African reported that André-Hugo Venter (elbow) and Lukhanyo Vokozela (head knock) are also unavailable, and that JJ Kotzé is still suspended.

With so few hookers fit, the same outlet reported that Scarra Ntubeni has come out of retirement as cover for the round-five game against Ulster. "He was in retirement. He trained a few weeks ago, but he's just a stop-gap – a medical joker if you can call it that, in case something happens," Levy said.