Boks star Ox Nche Springboks

Ox Nche on the charge. Photo: SA Rugby website

PICTURES | Springbok Ox Nche crowns off massive year by being a graduate! Find out which qualification below

Springbok Retshegofaditswe “Ox” Nche has rounded off a massive year of growth on the field, with a massive achievement off it as he became a graduate.

Boks star Ox Nche Springboks

Ox Nche on the charge. Photo: SA Rugby website

Springbok Retshegofaditswe “Ox” Nche has rounded off a massive year of growth on the field, with a massive achievement off it as he became a graduate.

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Nche, who has risen to prominence on the international stage for the Springboks has also risen to the occasion academically too, to turn 2021 into a dream year. 

Nche got himself back in the Springbok fold in 2021

In a year where much of the pre-British and Irish Lions series debated included avid Springbok rugby supporters created a match up of who crack the match day squad between Nche and Vodacom Bulls prop Lizo Gqoboka, there proved to be one clear winner there. In fact, the Bloemfontein-born star would elevate to a level further than just the match day squad. 

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The conversation went from being Nche being a worthy understudy to World Cup winning loose head and the experienced Steven Kitshoff, to starting ahead of the Stormers skipper, game dependent. The mobile front rower was quick to earn the trust of the new Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber, which became evident when he was entrusted to start the massive first British & Irish Lions Test. 

He continued to be a key component

That proved to be just the beginning of what would prove to be a year where Nche would establish himself as a key component of the green and gold. The Sharks player would also be selected to start further pivotal games, including against the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship and against Wales and England on the Springbok end of year tour to mention but a few. 

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Prior to the 2021 season, Nche had just the one Springbok cap to his name, a once off Test match against Wales in Washington DC, USA in 2018. Things had seemed to tail off for him from then but a solid season with the Sharks in 2020 and the first half of 2021 saw him recover his trajectory, and rekindle people’s expectations of him being the long-term replacement for former Sharks teammate Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira.

Graduation and qualification

Speaking of long-term, Nche has moved a step closer to securing his long-term future off the rugby field having recently graduated with a BSc in Geography and Statistics from the University of the Free State. 

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the 26-year-old then took to his official Twitter account to celebrate the feat with a graduation photoshoot yesterday. Balancing all of establishing yourself on the international scene, making sure you are entertaining your growing social media audience daily as well as securing that degree all at the same time? As you put on your graduation cap, we take our caps off to you Mr Nche, congratulations! You’re a different breed.

Pictures below: