Ox Nche: Springboks Star Hits Back at All Blacks Coach Dave Rennie After Cape Town Defeat
- Ox Nché addressed All Blacks coach Dave Rennie's repeated complaints about the Boks' scrum tactics after the Cape Town test
- The Springbok loosehead prop reached his 50th Springbok cap during the 33-26 victory that levelled the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series 1-1
- The prop also shared his thoughts on the number of scrum resets on the night and what he expects from the series decider next weekend
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Springbok loosehead prop Ox Nché has responded to All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie's ongoing criticism of South Africa's scrum tactics, calling it a matter of differing interpretations rather than any breach of the laws.
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The comments came after the Springboks levelled the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series at 1-1 with a 33-26 win over New Zealand at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The result also returned the Boks to the world number one ranking. Post-match, Rennie again questioned the legality of South Africa's approach at scrum time, while Springbok director of rugby Rassie Erasmus pushed back on the suggestion that his pack was walking around in the set-piece.
Nché responds to Rennie's criticism
Speaking in a media huddle, Nché offered a measured response to the controversy, saying that the situation ultimately came down to interpretation, with coaches, referees and players often viewing rugby’s laws differently.
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The 31-year-old tighthead also admitted that the repeated scrum resets were frustrating for him and the forward pack. He stressed that the forwards wanted more completed scrums and hoped there would be fewer resets and more successful contests in the following week.
Addressing Rennie’s specific complaints, Nché maintained that a forward pack moving forward together should be considered to be going forward. He acknowledged that valuable time had been lost because the teams had differing interpretations of the scrum, but made it clear that Rennie was entitled to his own view of the situation.
Nché reflects on milestone 50th cap
Beyond the tactical discussion, Saturday marked a major personal milestone for Ox Nché, who earned his 50th Springbok cap after being brought into the starting XV as a late change. He shared the occasion with Pieter-Steph du Toit, who became South Africa’s 11th player to reach 100 Test caps.
Reflecting on his journey to the milestone, Nché said he had even reached out to one of his former high school coaches earlier in the day. He described the occasion as an opportunity to reflect on how far he had come and acknowledged everyone who had supported and believed in him throughout his career. Nché added that his goal was to make those people proud and continue pushing forward.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup winner also praised the Springboks’ response after their defeat in Johannesburg the previous week. He explained that the team reviewed the errors from that match and worked during the week to correct them.
With the series now level at 1-1, attention has shifted to the decisive third Test at FNB Stadium next Saturday. Nché is expecting a huge occasion, with both sides facing a significant challenge in the final match of the series.
Springboks star ruled out of the season
Briefly News also reported that a Springboks star has suffered a season-ending injury, which means he is set to be out for a long period in 2026.
The South African rugby star's injury comes as bad news for both his club and the Springboks as he's now expected to undergo surgery in a few days.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
