Ox Nche kept on his ‘toes’ by ‘desperate’ rookies as Rassie Erasmus warns of ‘bolder’ Springboks selections

The fresh faces in the Springboks squad are not allowing the World Cup winners and experienced members to rest on their laurels.

Ox Nche has been hugely impressed by the rookies in the squad with Rassie Erasmus blooding in new stars in 2024 with an eye on becoming the first team to complete a World Cup three-peat.

Erasmus has made no secret of the fact that the squad is in need of youthful legs and has capped 11 players in the first four internationals of the year with a number of single-digit capped players adding to their tallies.

New era of the Springboks

The Bok boss candidly stated this week that the coaching staff will look to extend some players’ careers but added that the tried and tested will be phased out when they fall off. Then the younger players will get their opportunities and could naturally replace the experienced heads.

“We are definitely trying to make the squad understand and be as honest as we can that this is a group effort going to the 2027 Rugby World Cup,” Erasmus explained.

“We will probably prolong some guys’ careers and see how deep they can go until the next World Cup and where they will fall off the pace and maybe spare their bodies a lot.

“That’s what we are expecting from the young guys, to bring that energy and swap in and out and then against a major country like Australia, select four or five of them and then maybe next we go a little bit bolder.”

Ox Nche on the youngsters in the squad

This weekend against the Wallabies, only Nche and fellow loosehead prop Gerhard Steenekamp are the front-rowers who are under the age of 30 with the next generation of Springboks already pressing their claim.

Thomas du Toit, who is currently in the squad, is in arguably the prime of his career and able to play on both sides of the scrum. Meanwhile, Ntuthuko Mchunu – Nche’s Sharks teammate – impressed against Wales and Portugal.

Jan-Hendrik Wessels’ versatility has also caught the eye of the Bok coaching team while his clubmate Wilco Louw has not cracked the squad despite an excellent season with the Bulls. Uncapped props Neetling Fouche and Asenathi Ntlabakanye also add further depth while there are other youngsters like Hanro Jacobs who could force their way into the side.

“It’s amazing actually, we have the young guys come in and they are absolutely talented, strong, work hard, and very humble,” Nche said when asked about the competition in the squad.

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“It’s amazing to work with guys like that and they fit in perfectly into the system. It’s good healthy competition and like for us, I wouldn’t say I’m one of the older guys, but it definitely does keep me on my toes.”

Nche made his Test debut in 2018 but had to wait until 2021 to add to his tally but is now a regular squad member having won the British and Irish Lions series and World Cup with South Africa racking up over 30 Test caps in doing so.

He adds that the hunger of the youngsters have has got him feeling a bit nostalgic.

“It’s an amazing healthy environment,” he said.

“And to witness how the young guys are learning just reminds you where you used to be as well as a player when he came in – how desperate you were to wear the Springboks jersey and how desperate you have to be now to stay in the squad and play.”

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