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

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.

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.

Read also

“The nation's uncle”: Mzansi melts over Siya Kolisi’s sweet moments with All Blacks fans

**Nché Responds to Rennie's Criticism**

Speaking in a media huddle, Nché offered a measured take on the controversy. "It's all about interpretation. As we all know, rugby has laws … coaches, referees and players interpret it differently," he said.

The 31-year-old tighthead acknowledged that the number of resets on the night frustrated him as much as anyone. "As a forward pack, we want scrum completions. The scrum is a contest of two packs and I wasn't too happy … Hopefully there are fewer resets next week and more completions."

On Rennie's specific complaints, Nché drew a clear line. "The whole thing is if a forward pack is going forward all together, then they're going forward. We wasted a lot of time in scrums today just because we all had different interpretations. But it's his opinion, it's the way he interprets it, and I have nothing to say on that."

**Nché Reflects on Milestone 50th Cap**

Read also

Siya Kolisi showers two Springboks stars with praise after All Blacks win

Beyond the tactical debate, Saturday was a personal landmark for Nché, who reached his 50th Springbok cap during the match after being introduced as a late adjustment to the starting XV. He shared the milestone evening with Pieter-Steph du Toit, who became South Africa's 11th centurion on the night.

"Looking back at the journey, I even sent one of my high school coaches a message this afternoon … It was a day about really looking into reflection, to see how far I've come," Nché said. "And all the people who believed in me and backed me throughout the years, that's all I wanted to do. I hope to make them proud and just keep going."

The 2023 Rugby World Cup winner also reflected on the Boks' ability to respond after their defeat in Johannesburg the previous week, noting the squad focused on correcting their own errors. "Naturally we saw the mistakes we made and we tried to improve on them this week," he said.

With the series locked at one apiece, all eyes now turn to the third and final test at FNB Stadium next Saturday. "I'm hoping it's sold out, and it's going to be massive. It's going to be a challenge for both teams," Nché added.

Source: Briefly News