Hailing from the Eastern Cape town of Burgersdorp, Fourie started to ply his trade in the United Kingdom nearly six years ago and has finally realised every rugby players dream of playing Test match rugby. “I do all the things the English do. If I go to South Africa these days, it’s for a holiday,” he adds.

Hendre Fourie joins Mike Catt and Matt Stevens as the other South African born players to have played for England with Brad Barrit desperately unlucky to miss out this year with a finger injury. What makes Fourie slightly different however is his Afrikaner heritage and his undisguised accent which has not disappeared.

So why is Fourie not in the Springbok squad? Playing for Free State University back in 2005 he made infrequent appearances in the Cheetahs squad but failed to impress or cement a place in the team. He moved to the UK and started to play for Rotherham Titans and it was a move that would see him becoming one of the best back-rowers in the country.

Now playing for Leeds in the Premiership, Hendre Fourie’s spectacular performances buoyed his teams showing and was instrumental in keeping them in the top rung of UK rugby. “Hendre came [into the England squad] through the back door by putting together a string of quality performances,” says the England forwards coach John Wells.

He has already won two test caps coming off the bench and will be hoping that come Saturday he will win a third against the country of this birth. Will there be any regrets? “The important thing for me is that my family are really proud. My mother shed tears when I won my first cap against the All Blacks. I've heard nothing from the rugby people in South Africa since I qualified for England and declared myself available, I'm not bothered about them or what they think.”

Playing to salvage pride after a dismal performance against Scotland the Springboks will be as motivated as ever to produce a win at Twickenham. Should Hendre Fourie come off the bench to face them he can be assured of finally getting the attention of the Boks.