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Cape Town - The South African Rugby Union (SARU) wants Jaque Fourie to again be available for Springbok selection.
A top-level source at SARU told the Cape Times that they are in discussions with Fourie's Japanese club, Kobe Steelers, to release him for international duty.
It could be in time for the Boks' Rugby Championship tour to Australasia, but a more realistic date may be the end-of-year tour to Europe.
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"We are still negotiating (with his club for the tour of Australia and New Zealand), but things are a bit relaxed now because the guys are on tour," the source revealed.
"Hopefully he can play on the end-of-year tour."
Fourie, 30, signed a two-year deal with the Steelers last year and said at the time he would not be available to play for the Springboks during his time in Japan.
But SARU is hoping to lure him back the same way they did with scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, whose Japanese club, Suntory Sungoliath, agreed released him for the home games in the Rugby Championship.
The last of Fourie's 69 Tests came in the 2011 Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to Australia in Wellington, New Zealand.
A top-level source at SARU told the Cape Times that they are in discussions with Fourie's Japanese club, Kobe Steelers, to release him for international duty.
It could be in time for the Boks' Rugby Championship tour to Australasia, but a more realistic date may be the end-of-year tour to Europe.
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"We are still negotiating (with his club for the tour of Australia and New Zealand), but things are a bit relaxed now because the guys are on tour," the source revealed.
"Hopefully he can play on the end-of-year tour."
Fourie, 30, signed a two-year deal with the Steelers last year and said at the time he would not be available to play for the Springboks during his time in Japan.
But SARU is hoping to lure him back the same way they did with scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, whose Japanese club, Suntory Sungoliath, agreed released him for the home games in the Rugby Championship.
The last of Fourie's 69 Tests came in the 2011 Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to Australia in Wellington, New Zealand.
