Neethling Fouché

Neethling Fouché

Fouché in 2022
Full name	Johann Neethling Fouché
Date of birth	(1993-01-10) 10 January 1993
Place of birth	Rustenburg, South Africa
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Weight	118 kg (18 st 8 lb; 260 lb)
School	Die Hoërskool Rustenburg, Rustenburg / Grey College, Bloemfontein
University	University of Pretoria
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead prop Current team Stormers / Western Province Youth career 2006–2009 Leopards 2010–2011 Free State Cheetahs 2012–2014 Blue Bulls Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2014–2017 UP Tuks 15 (5) Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2014 Blue Bulls 1 (0) 2016–2017 Blue Bulls XV 4 (0) 2018–present Stormers 28 (10) 2018–present Western Province 33 (10) 2019 → Cheetahs 2 (5) Correct as of 23 July 2022 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2010 South Africa Under-18 High Performance Correct as of 13 April 2018

Johann Neethling Fouché (born 10 January 1993) is a South African rugby union player for the Stormers in Super Rugby and Western Province in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is tighthead prop.

Career

Youth

Fouché first earned his first provincial representation at primary school level, being called up by Rustenburg-based side the Leopards for the 2006 Under-13 Craven Week competition. In 2009, he once again represented the Leopards, this time for their Under-16 Grant Khomo Week side.

In 2010, however, he moved to Bloemfontein to complete his schooling at Grey College in Bloemfontein. His provincial selection continued at his new school and he represented the Free State in the Under-18 Craven Week tournaments in both 2010 and 2011. In 2010, he was included in a South African Under-18 High Performance squad that played matches against France, England and Namibia.

Fouché also made one appearance for the Free State U19 side while still at school, coming on as a replacement in their match against the Blue Bulls U19 in the 2011 Under-19 Provincial Championship.

Blue Bulls

After two years in Bloemfontein, Fouché was on the move again – this time, he moved to Pretoria to join the Blue Bulls. He appeared in seven of the Blue Bulls U19 side's matches during the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship and represented the Blue Bulls U21s on three occasions during the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, playing as a loosehead prop instead of his regular tighthead side.

In 2014, he was included in the UP Tuks side that played in the 2014 Varsity Cup competition, where he made a single appearance for the Pretoria-based university side against eventual champions UCT Ikey Tigers. He made his first class debut two weeks later on 8 March 2014, playing off the bench in the Blue Bulls' 2014 Vodacom Cup First Round match against Griquas, with his side suffering a 24–26 loss. That was his only appearance in the competition and he reverted to the Under-21s for the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship, where he played seven times and scored three tries – two in their match against Border U21 in a 143–0 demolition and another in their match against the Sharks. Fouché also started the final of the competition, helping the Blue Bulls to a 20–10 victory over Western Province U21 in Cape Town.

Fouché returned to action for UP Tuks in the 2015 Varsity Cup, starting in their 29–29 draw against UFS Shimlas, before being named as a potential injury replacement for Dayan van der Westhuizen for the Bulls in their opening round of the 2015 Super Rugby season against the Stormers.