Ox Nche Warns Springboks About France’s Biggest Weapon Ahead of Paris Showdown
- Ox Nche has identified an area where France could make life difficult for the Springboks on Friday
- The Bok prop believes the French forward pack will bring a physical challenge that South Africa cannot afford to underestimate
- Nche has also admitted that the Springboks still have some work to do after their victory over Italy
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Springbok prop Ox Nche has warned that France will pose a formidable challenge when the two sides meet in Paris on Friday, 13 November 2026. The experienced loosehead prop believes the French pack's strength at scrum time could make the Nations Championship encounter particularly demanding.
Nche is expected to start alongside Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw in the front row at the Stade de France. He has already identified the scrum as one area where the hosts could test South Africa.
Speaking to SA Rugby on Wednesday, 11 November, Nche said France's approach to scrummaging makes them a dangerous opponent.
"They love the scrum," he said, as reported by SA Rugby.
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"They have a lot of big and heavy boys, who want to scrum, and that French team is a good example of rugby being a game for all shapes and sizes."
Ox Nche identifies France's scrum threat
The 30-year-old described facing the French forwards as an intensely personal contest, comparing the physical battle to a local derby. He also pointed to France's consistency in the Six Nations and European club competitions as evidence of their strength in this department.
Nche expects the hosts to arrive with the same determination despite having injury concerns in their squad.
"They're a very dangerous team, and they definitely have options in the squad," he explained.
Springboks have work to do after Italy victory
South Africa's 66-7 victory over Italy provided an impressive scoreline, but Nche admitted that the performance was not entirely convincing from a forward-pack perspective.
"The Italians put a lot of pressure on us," he said.
He added that the Springboks had identified problems with their cohesion and execution during their review.
"We were just a bit loose," Nche admitted, adding that the team had solutions and would work to correct the problems.
When do the Springboks play France?
The Springboks face France on Friday, 13 November, at the Stade de France in Paris. Kick-off is scheduled for 22:10 South African time, with SuperSport broadcasting the encounter live.
With the French pack expected to provide a stern examination, South Africa will need a more organised performance up front.
For Nche and his teammates, the challenge is clear: winning the physical battle could prove crucial to securing another important victory against France.
Ox Nché identifies the Springbok teammate who gives him the toughest scrum battle
Briefly News previously reported that Ox Nché named Frans Malherbe as the toughest scrummager he has encountered during his international career. Nché explained why the experienced tighthead prop remains such a difficult opponent to handle.
Malherbe's importance to the Springboks has also come into focus as Rassie Erasmus considers his options for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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Source: Briefly News
