A product of the renowned Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, Reinhardt Fortuin has had an unconventional route to topflight rugby. A cricket prodigy as a teenager, Fortuin did not attend Craven Week or turn out for any junior provincial rugby teams. Rather, he enrolled at Stellenbosch University and represented Maties Cricket 1st XI in the equivalent of the Varsity Cup. Reinhardt all-round athleticism saw him continue to player rugby socially, and when Maties Varsity Cup coach Hawies Fourie saw him shine for the university’s 2nd XV, he immediately called the stocky playmaker up to the Varsity Cup squad.

Blessed with a booming left boot, Fortuin was initially employed as a fullback, where his superb hands make him unshaken under the high ball, as well as a devastating counter attacker. It wasn’t long before Reinhardt was shifted to flyhalf and his large frame meant that he routinely took the ball flat, often bumping defenders with ball carries as well. Besides a reputation as a brutal defender, it was his ability to read play and unleash his outside backs that led to a senior professional contract with the Free State Cheetahs in 2020. A Currie Cup regular with Super Rugby SA experience to boot, Fortuin also possesses a place-kicking record that is not only accurate, but also suggests that he punishes any penalties conceded within his range.