Fourie elevated into Calcutta Cup reckoning

LEEDS CARNEGIE'S recent revival gained further recognition last night when Hendre Fourie, the club's outstanding back row forward, was called up to England's Six Nations squad.

Having helped Leeds climb off the bottom of the Guinness Premiership with a trademark destructive performance against Saracens on Sunday, the 30-year-old has joined up with Martin Johnson's squad and is available for selection for Saturday's Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

The South Africa-born flanker's ascension from the England Saxons squad, for whom he made his debut last month, is yet more evidence that Leeds as a club are back on the rugby union map following the superb form over the last month that has seen them blow the Premiership relegation issue wide open.

In what was an evening of good news for Yorkshire rugby union, Otley-born centre Mike Tindall was recalled by Johnson after missing the last four months with a hamstring injury, and former Leeds lock Tom Palmer was also drafted into the squad.

But it is the call-up of Fourie – who takes the place of Wasps

No 8 Dan Ward-Smith, who damaged knee ligaments at the weekend – which bucks the trend of recent times when Leeds have produced players of the quality of Palmer and Danny Care, who only gained international honours after leaving the club.

Signed from Rotherham Titans in 2007 after two seasons at Clifton Lane, Fourie was Leeds's player of the year during their promotion run last season and has built on that form this campaign.