Leeds Carnegie star switching allegiance with pride in England

SOUTH Africa-born Hendre Fourie says he has goosebumps at the thought of representing England should Martin Johnson play him on the summer tour to Australia and New Zealand.

The Leeds Carnegie back-row forward was yesterday selected in Johnson's 44-man squad for next month's tour following his outstanding contribution to the Yorkshire club's Premiership survival.

Fourie, who first came to England when signed by Rotherham Titans five years ago, represented the Saxons in February and was elevated into the senior squad for the final two games of the Six Nations campaign.

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The 30-year-old did not feature against Scotland or France but was notified by Johnson on Monday night that he is to join a long list of players born outside England to don the Red Rose – including his fellow Springboks Mike Horak, Geoff Appleford, Matt Stevens and Mike Catt.

Fourie was keen to stress that he will give as much wearing a white shirt as he would were he representing his native country.

"It's a huge honour to be picked and it doesn't make a difference to me that I'll be pulling on an England shirt and not a Springbok shirt," said Fourie, who qualifies for selection on residency grounds.

"I always try to be the best I can be and selection for the national side shows you are among the best in the country at your chosen sport, and that is a real honour.

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"Playing for England means a lot to me. When I played for the Saxons (in Italy) I got goosebumps singing the national anthem.

"I even support England at Twenty20 cricket. Now South Africa are out, I'm cheering on England."

Fourie was born in Burgersdorp, Eastern Cape, and played for Shimlas, Maties, Free State University and the Cheetahs in his native South Africa before being brought over by Andre Bester to Clifton Lane in 2005.

After two years with Rotherham – when he amply demonstrated his ferocious tackling, good handling and try-scoring ability – he was snapped up by Stuart Lancaster for Leeds's 2007-08 Premiership campaign.

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Injury checked his progress in his first year when Leeds were relegated, but he played 20 games and was named player of the year as they subsequently bounced back under Neil Back and Andy Key.

He is expected to retain that personal accolade at Leeds's awards dinner tonight after his integral role in the Yorkshire club's successful battle against the drop, when his performances embodied the spirit and determination in the Headingley camp.

"It's a big compliment to Leeds Carnegie," Fourie said of his

call-up. "As a team, we did really well this season.

"If we hadn't have stayed up, I don't think my chances of making the squad would have been as good, compared to the players who play for the established Premiership teams with the bigger budgets.

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"But if we can perform like we did in the second half of this season, next season and beyond, then my chances of staying in the England squad will be aided.

"I can't believe how the last five years have gone for me here in England and I owe a massive debt of thanks to the management at Leeds for believing in me and giving me a chance to show what I can do.

"It has been like a fairytale and I do not want it to end any time soon. I also think it shows that if you are good enough and put in the hard work with your club, the international selectors will notice you and give you a chance."

With the World Cup in New Zealand less than 18 months away, all tours and tournaments become major staging posts for players involved in national squads, but Fourie is determined not to get carried away.

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"I'm not really thinking ahead to the World Cup at this stage," said the adopted Yorkshireman. "I'll take things one step at a time, starting with this summer's tour and then returning home to help Leeds Carnegie progress next season."

England play two Tests against Australia and three tour matches against the Australian Barbarians and the New Zealand Maori. The first game for Johnson's squad, before they fly to Australia, is against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday, May 30.

For Fourie to be involved, he has to prove he is back to full fitness following ankle and calf injuries which ruled him out of Leeds's final two games.

Johnson's men for down under

England squad for five-match tour of Australia and New Zealand in June:

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Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), C Ashton (Northampton), M Banahan (Bath), O Barkley (Bath),

D Care (Harlequins), M Cueto (Sale), T Flood (Leicester),

B Foden (Northampton),

S Geraghty (Northampton),

S Hape (Bath), C Hodgson (Sale), U Monye (Harlequins), J Simpson (Wasps), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Sale),

M Tindall (Gloucester),

D Waldouck (Wasps),

R Wigglesworth (Sale),

J Wilkinson (Toulon),

B Youngs (Leicester).

Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), D Attwood (Gloucester), D Cole (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), P Doran-Jones (Gloucester),

N Easter (Harlequins),

D Flatman (Bath), H Fourie (Leeds), J Golding (Newcastle), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), C Lawes (Northampton), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester),

T Palmer (Stade Francais),

G Parling (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), C Robshaw (Harlequins), S Shaw (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Ward-Smith (Wasps), R Webber (Wasps), D Wilson (Bath),

J Worsley (Wasps).