South African Rugby Star Defends Maxime Lucu Amid Racism Claims Over Ox Nche Handshake Incident

• A video of France's Maxime Lucu appearing to skip handshakes with several Springboks after their 21-19 win went viral
• Rugby fans accused the Bordeaux Bègles scrumhalf of poor sportsmanship, with some claiming the snub was racially motivated
• South African player Madosh Tambwe, a former teammate of Lucu, weighed in on the controversy from his X account

A post-match handshake moment from Friday's Test between France and South Africa has ignited a heated debate on social media, drawing accusations of racism against a French player that a fellow South African has since disputed.

France defeated the Springboks 21-19 at the Stade de France in Paris, but the result was quickly overshadowed by footage circulating online showing French scrumhalf Maxime Lucu during the post-match handshake procession.

What the viral video shows

The clip, originally posted by the Springboks, captures Lucu greeting Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu with a hug before appearing to bypass a handshake with prop Ox Nche, who looked visibly puzzled by the moment. Lucu also appeared to skip handshakes with Pieter-Steph du Toit and Manie Libbok, who were standing in the same line. Lucu had earlier received a yellow card during the match for a high tackle on Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

The footage spread rapidly, with numerous rugby supporters branding Lucu's behaviour as unsportsmanlike. Some went further, alleging the snubs were racially motivated.

Tambwe steps in to defend Lucu

South African rugby player Madosh Tambwe, who has shared a dressing room with Lucu at Bordeaux Bègles, pushed back against those characterisations on X.

Tambwe wrote: "Avoid misrepresenting the situation. I have played alongside both men; Max Lucu is not a racist. We share disappointment over yesterday's Springbok defeat. Yet using this fragment to advance a narrative is something the sport does not require."

Tambwe was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo but relocated to Johannesburg as a child, where he attended Parktown Boys High School. He went on to represent the Lions, Bulls and Sharks before moving to France, playing for Bordeaux Bègles and currently Montpellier.

This is not the first time Lucu has found himself adjacent to a racism controversy in French rugby. In 2023, he publicly defended his French national teammate Bastien Chalureau, who faced allegations of a racially motivated assault on two North African rugby players.

Source: Briefly News