Former Rotherham rugby star Hendre's deportation threat lifted

IMMIGRATION officials say former Rotherham star Hendre Fourie will not be deported after failing to recover from a career-ending injury.

The 33-year-old flanker from South Africa, affectionately known as Shrek, was forced to retire prematurely last month, having been unable to overcome the impact of the shoulder damage — sustained while representing England.

And the termination of his Sale contract  led  to fears that, despite having claimed eight caps for his adopted country, he would  have to leave.

Said Fourie: “It has come as a bit of a shock. At the end of November, the UK Border Agency did a review of Sale’s foreign players and saw that my contract was coming to an end.

“They said that my visa would be cancelled. I was told that it was 60 days from when the visa was cancelled to when I have to go, so I have to leave in a few weeks.

“What angers me is the way we have been treated — it has been a short, sharp ‘get-out’ order.

“If I had never played for England, it wouldn’t be an issue, but I put my body on the line for this country. I wasn’t wanting any reward, but it would have been nice to be marked down as a British citizen.”

But the Border Agency said today: "His employment contract with Sale Rugby Club has been terminated and his employer has rightly informed UKBA of this decision. We are considering what action to take next," added the Border Agency spokesperson.

"If an individual's circumstances change and they no longer meet the terms of their specific visa they can apply for a visa of a different type.

"Mr Fourie has been informed of the process and the various options available to him. It is entirely up to him if he chooses to explore any of them further.”