Ox Nche against Australia earlier this year. Photo: SA Rugby website
Ox: I want to leave Bok jersey in a better place
Ox Nche says legendary former Bok star Beast Mtawarira has inspired his outlook on the game at the start of his Test career.
Ox Nche against Australia earlier this year. Photo: SA Rugby website
Nche will head into his eighth Test match when the Springboks take on Scotland this Saturday, with the 26-year-old having quickly established himself as one of the Boks’ most promising players in what has been a breakthrough season for the Sharks prop.
PREVIEW: THREE SPRINGBOKS WITH BIG OPPORTUNITIES ON SATURDAY
With the Bok coaches opting to start Nche ahead of the more-established Steven Kitshoff, he has a key role to play when it comes to setting the tone in the first half before the Bomb Squad is deployed off the bench.
It’s a similar role to the one fulfilled by Mtawarira at the 2019 World Cup, when he brought the curtain down on a 117-Test cap career by playing a massive part in the Boks’ triumphant journey in Japan.
“If you look at a guy like Beast who was playing before me and look at where he left the jersey. He made sure that whoever comes afterwards has very big shoes to fill,” Nche said.
“For me, it’s also a challenge because I have to make sure in my journey and with the opportunities that I get that I leave it in a much better place as well. Whatever I do, wherever I play, how I play should be to leave the jersey in a better place. That’s really important and I need to make the most of every opportunity.”
This weekend Nche will once again pack down with Trevor Nyakane and Bongi Mbonambi in the starting front row, and said he was expecting a monstrous forward battle against Scotland.
READ | WILLIE LE ROUX RETURNS, ELTON JANTJIES STARTS AS SPRINGBOKS NAME SIDE FOR SCOTLAND TEST
“This battle will be different to that which we faced against Wales,” said Nché.
“I’ve worked under Pieter de Villiers (Scotland scrum coach) at Under-20 and school level, and we saw how they performed against Australia. They certainly got rewards from their scrums and mauls.
“We are working on our preparation and we will see how we rise up to the challenge this weekend.”
The burly prop added that with the way the Springbok team operate – with a starting pack and a full replacement front row of Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff and Vincent Koch – they knew exactly what each individual role entailed.
“With the way our team function, one has every chance to go full-out when you take the field, because you know the Bomb Squad will get on once your job is done.
“The way I like to play is to leave the jersey in a better place. Personally I’d like to use every opportunity I get, and make the most of it.”
The match at Murrayfield kicks off at 13:00 (15:00 SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
