The Cavaliers were mauled 67-19 by the URC-laden Lions at Ellis Park in the first semi-final on Saturday, which closed the curtain on a dream run in their first campaign back in the top flight.
They made the Boland Stadium an impenetrable fortress, beating the Vodacom Bulls, Cheetahs and Lions in their home fixtures.
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Despite the heavy loss – which Fourie says they collectively need to take full responsibility for – he was still proud of how his team managed the pressures of the tournament.
“We set a high standard for ourselves and said one of our main goals was to reach the semi-finals. I think many of the players doubted, but they ultimately bought into our plans and we started building up momentum quite quickly.”
Fourie refused to complain about facing opponents stacked with URC talent. Instead, he said it has set a benchmark for his squad.
“We ended as one of the top four teams and we’ve learned a lot, especially in the games against Western Province and the Lions. In both those matches, we played against players with URC experience, and those lessons need to be applied to ensure we play better next season.”
Confident that Boland’s fairytale season was only the beginning, Fourie added: “We’ll be back next year, and we’ll return as a better team.”
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