Ox Nche and the rest of the Springboks’ pack are preparing to go back to that “dark place” ahead of the much-anticipated scrum battle in their Rugby Championship match against Argentina.
The “dark place” or “the gutter” is where the Springboks thrived during the Rugby World Cup, when they had to dig deep to win three successive knockout matches to lift the Webb-Ellis trophy in France.
It doesn’t get any darker than the scrums, which the Springboks used a massive weapon to get over the line, especially in that epic semi-final against England, where their stocky loosehesad prop Nche came to the fore.
Coming on in the second half, Nche produced a scrum clinic to almost single-handedly get the Boks back in the contest, before helping South Africa’s win the defining scrum penalty, which replacement flyhalf Handre Pollard duly converted.
😤 @oxnche and Buffell laying down an early marker! #AUSvRSA pic.twitter.com/VhBQRjTt4W
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) August 11, 2024
But, on Saturday in Santiago del Estero (11pm kickoff), Nche could up against a Los Pumas bogeyman that is just as comfortable in the “gutter”.
Argentina’s tighthead Joel Sclavi is a mountain of a man, tipping the scales at 137kg and standing about 1.9m tall. In other words, the La Rochelle star is built like brick outhouse.
The 30-year-old Sclavi has demolished all comers in the Top 14 and in the Champions Cup. And Los Pumas will be hoping that he can neutralise Nche, who is yet to find a tighthead who he hasn’t devoured like a piece of his favourite chocolate cake.
In a sense, we could be looking at a contest between an immovable object and an unstoppable force.
Nche, however, seems to know a lot about his possible opponent, likening him to the Springboks’ own tighthead ace Frans Malherbe.
Malherbe has been rested for the trip to Argentina, but Nche would have had many scrum battles against his compatriot during scrum coach Daan Human’s brutal live scrumming sessions. Those sessions tend to be dark ... very dark.
“He has a similar frame to Frans [Malherbe]. He’s pretty wide. He has a massive chest, so it’s very hard to get under him,” Nche said.
“He’s been playing very well for La Rochelle in the Top 14 and they are good at the set piece, especially the scrums.
“If he gets the hit on you, it’s going to be a long day. With his big frame, it just makes it difficult to get underneath him.
“He knows how to scrum and he’s very experienced. It’s going to be a very good challenge.”
Nche has had to take a lot of responsibility on the loosehead side for the Springboks this year following Steven Kitshoff’s injury woes.
Genial @Springboks strongman and cake lover “Ox” Nche visited Ma Leah Tutu to show her the Rugby World Cup. He hoped Archbishop Tutu could "see from heaven that rugby is bringing South Africans together". On cake, he said: “You have to be happy; cake is for the heart and soul.” pic.twitter.com/WonSU6Qx0p
Gerhard Steenekamp, who has only played six Test matches, has held his own when called upon this year in Kitshoff’s absence, while the versatile Jan-Hendrik Wessels has also featured.
However, Nche remains the main man in the No 1 jersey, although he doesn’t want to admit it.
“For us, the jersey is No 1, but there is no number one in our set up. We all have a certain role,” Nche said.
“I’ve enjoyed being out there consistently. It’s been amazing and I’ve been trying to contribute as much as possible to the team.”
The Springboks certainly need another top effort from Nche on Saturday.
@JohnGoliath82