Stormers Coach Fumes Over Fourie’s Knee Injury

Stormers defence coach Norman Laker expressed frustration and concern following the injury to veteran forward Deon Fourie during the side’s dramatic 38-38 United Rugby Championship draw against Ulster Rugby on Friday night.

The high-scoring encounter produced 11 tries, but the major talking point after the match was Fourie’s knee injury, sustained during a controversial breakdown incident involving Ulster captain Iain Henderson.

Fourie appeared to be caught in a croc-roll during the cleanout and was forced from the field. Henderson initially received a yellow card, which was later upgraded to a 20-minute red card after review — a decision Laker felt did not go far enough given the seriousness of the injury.

“He (Deon Fourie) came off the field wearing a knee brace afterwards,” said Laker. “He will most likely fly back to South Africa for scans and a full diagnosis on the extent of the injury.”

The Stormers coach suggested the consequences of the incident could be significant, both for Fourie and the team.

“It’s never nice losing one of your top players and one of the most experienced members of the squad to an injury like that, so I do think there should be consequences,” Laker added.

Laker also highlighted another incident during the match that he believed involved dangerous cleanout techniques at the breakdown. He referred to a challenge involving Daniel du Plessis and Evan Roos, arguing that similar actions occurred elsewhere in the game.

“It was a side clean,” he explained.

“Yes, I understand Daniel du Plessis did not roll away, but it was still foul play — cleaning from the side and away from the breakdown.

“I would rather see an immediate penalty given instead of allowing a cleanout from the side. It could easily have resulted in another injury.”

The Stormers defence coach also raised concerns about the risks associated with playing on 4G artificial surfaces, suggesting they increase the likelihood of serious knee injuries.

“With 4G surfaces, it’s different. If your foot gets stuck, there is a greater possibility of suffering a knee ligament injury,” said Laker.

“On natural grass, your foot may slide or give way, which can sometimes protect your knees or ankles.”

Despite his frustration over the incidents, Laker admitted the Stormers also had shortcomings during the draw.

“But I’m not complaining,” he added.

“We simply weren’t good enough, and our defence wasn’t good enough either.”

He also praised the officiating overall, acknowledging that the referee made the correct decision regarding Du Plessis not rolling away at the breakdown.

“I thought the referee had a good game and made some good calls towards the end as well,” Laker concluded.